A farmer, Onaye Ikutimumi, and his two sons, Ojosimi Ikutimumi, 28, and Orimisi, 35, were on Friday arraigned in an Okitipupa chief magistrates’ court in Ondo State over alleged malicious damage to economy trees worth N16.5 million.

The defendants, whose addresses were not given, are charged with forceful entry, breach of peace, assault, malicious damage and threat to life.

The police prosecutor, ASP Zedekiah Orogbemi, told the court that the defendants conspired to commit breach of peace and malicious damage on October 11, 2023, around 11:40 a.m. at Akeun farmland in Ode-Aye, Okitipupa magisterial district.

Mr Orogbemi said the defendants conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace by forcefully entering the farmland belonging to Allen Abayomi over an undisclosed dispute.

The prosecution said the defendants unlawfully assaulted the complainant by beating him up and threatened to kill him with a cutlass if he dare stopped them from damaging some economy trees.

He added that the defendants maliciously damaged 80 timber trees worth N4.5 million and uprooted 100 young palm trees worth N12 million, bringing the total cost to N16.5 million, the complainant’s property.

Mr Orogbemi said the offence is punishable under sections 517, 81, 86, 355, and 451 of the Criminal Code, Cap.37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State, 2006.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Chief Magistrate Cletus Ojuola admitted the defendants to N200,000 bail each and two sureties each in like sums.

He added that the sureties must be residents within the court’s jurisdiction and show and present evidence of two years’ tax payments made to the state government.

Mr Ojuola adjourned the case until May 17 for further hearing. 

(NAN)