The police have on Thursday arraigned a 28-year-old man, Obaike Monday, for allegedly breaking into and stealing from a farm settlement.
Monday, whose address was not provided, is facing a three-count charge of forcible entry, malicious damage and stealing before an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
According to the prosecutor, Insp Olasunkanmi Bamikole, the defendant allegedly committed the offences with three others still large in January at Bolorunduro Camp, Igbogun farm settlement.
Bamikole said the defendant and his accomplices forcibly entered the farm of the complainant, Dr Ogunmilade Johnson, and maliciously damaged some economic trees valued at N5 million.
He alleged that the defendant used the trees for charcoal business without the complainant’s consent.
The prosecutor said the defendant also allegedly stole tubers of cocoyam, water yam, and cassava from the farm.
According to him, the offences contravened Sections 65, 363 and 302 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.
The prosecutor, however, asked the court for an adjournment to enable him to assemble his witnesses.
The Defence Counsel, Mr Sunday Balogun, urged the court to grant his client bail, promising he would not jump bail.
Subsequently, the Chief Magistrate, Mr Saka Afunso, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N50 000 with two sureties in like sum.
Afunso said one of the sureties must be a blood relation of the defendant.
He adjourned the case until July 29 for mention.