[EKITI STATE] Fulani Herdsman Lands Two Years Imprisonment For Grazing In Ekiti As Court Rules
Ekiti government has thrown its weight behind the firm resolve for 'no grazing' in the state as the Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti sentenced one Ali Haruna, 18, to two years imprisonment for destroying crops in a farmland while his cows grazed the area on his watch.
The Magistrate, Idowu Ayenimo, in his ruling, pointed out that the accused was arraigned in his court on Jan 22, 2016 over a two-count charge of wilful and unlawful damage of farm crops at Ago Aduloju in Ado-Ekiti.
Haruna was caught in the midnight as his cows grazed in the farm belonging to Abdulahi Yaho and Bello Mohammed as were confirmed by the four prosecuting witnesses during the court hearing. The cash crops said to have been destroyed by the cattle in the farm included cassava, maize, okro and pepper, all valued at N3 million.
The defendant had stated during his defence in the court that the owner of the cows lived in Ilorin, Kwara state.
The magistrate however maitained that the court did not believe Haruna’s story as it was not credible stating that the police prosecutor, Mr Olasunkanmi Bankole, had proved his case beyond reasonable doubt and the suspect was thereby convicted as charged without any option of fine.
On would recall that the Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, had in August signed the Ekiti State Open Grazing Prohibition Bill into law. This he did in the presence of over 3,000 Traditional Chiefs in Ekiti State.
