Two men, Suleiman Jamiu (30) and Oluwafemi Omotosho (30) were on Wednesday, arraigned before an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court over alleged forcible entry and wilful damage.

The defendants, of unknown addresses, are facing a three-count charge bordering on forcible entry of landed property, unauthorised entry and wilful damage.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them.

The prosecutor, Inspector Akinwale Oriyomi, told the court that the defendants and others at large, committed the offence on June 23 at about 09:00 a.m in Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

He alleged that the defendants and others at large conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause breach of peace by forcefully entering a parcel of land, owned by one Prof. Abayomi Fasina, and erecting a structure therein.

Mr Oriyomi said that the defendants and others at large, entered the landed property of the complainant without lawful authority.

He also alleged that the defendants and others at large wilfully and unlawfully damaged the gate key valued at N20,000, belonging to the complainant.

According to him, the offence contravened Section 65. 3(4)a of the Ekiti State Property Protection (Anti- Land Grabbing Law 2019 and 363 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.

The prosecutor however, asked the court for an adjournment to enable him to study the case file and present his witnesses.

Counsel to the defendants, Emmanuel Adedeji, urged the court to grant the defendants bail, with a promise that they would not jump bail.

The Chief Magistrate, Abayomi Adeosun, granted bail to the defendants in the sum of N25,000 with one surety each in like sum.

He adjourned the case until July 4 for hearing.

(NAN)