An erring nomadic farmer in Ekiti State, South-western part of Nigeria will be cooling his heels being some cold bars for the next two years.
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An Ekiti State High Court has sentenced a herdsman, Ali Haruna, to two years imprisonment for destroying crops worth N1.5 million in the farm.
The state Chief Judge, Justice Ayodeji Daramola, held that the prosecution had proved the case against the accused beyond reasonable doubt setting aside the appeal filed against the judgment of the Chief Magistrate’s Court.
Haruna had earlier been sentenced to two years jail by an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrate’s Court presided over by Mr Idowu Ayenimo on a two-count charge of malicious damage preferred against him.
Ayenimo sentenced Haruna to two years imprisonment on count one and two years’ imprisonment for count two which are to run concurrently.
The herdsman took his cows to the farm owned by one Abdullahi Yaho destroying crops therein. The prosecution called five witnesses during the course of the trial at the lower court.
Dissatisfied with the verdict of the Chief Magistrate’s Court, Haruna through his counsel, Mr Chris Omokhafe, filed an appeal urging the High Court to set aside the conviction on grounds that it must be consistent and that the appellant was not found with any destructive weapon.
Omokhafe and prosecution counsel, Gbemiga Adaramola, frontloaded all records and adopted their written addresses. Affirming the judgment of the Chief Magistrate’s Court, Justice Daramola said: “There is no iota of doubt at all, the prosecution proved the charge against the appellant beyond reasonable doubt. “I see no reason whatsoever to disturb the findings of the trial court; this appeal is totally devoid of merit and is hereby dismissed accordingly.”