Eight men appeared before an Osun State Magistrates’ Court sitting in Ile-Ife, on Thursday, for allegedly chasing four cows until the animals fell into a deep pit and died.
The defendants, Ayodele Jide, Akinyode Timothy, Akinsanwo Najeem, Akinola Abiodun, Samuel Oladeyin, Sunday Ejembi, Fadayo Akinniyi and Adereti Temitope, pleaded not guilty to the four counts preferred against them.
The police prosecutor, Emmanuel Abdullahi, said the defendants committed the offences on March 13, 2020, in the Erefe area of Ile-Ife.
He added that the defendants ran after the cows belonging to one Adamu Suleiman with the intent of harming them and made the animals fall into a deep pit.
Abdullahi said after the fall, the defendants also unlawfully maimed the animals valued at N720,000.
According to him, the action of the defendants could have caused an inter-tribal war between the Fulani herdsmen and villagers in Ile-Ife.
The offences, he added, contravened sections 249(d), 390(9), 450 and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Osun State, 2002.
The counsel for the defendants, Muri Agboola, applied for bail on behalf of his clients, with a promise that they would produce reliable sureties.
Magistrate Joseph Owolawi admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N200,000 each with two sureties.
He adjourned the matter till May 15, 2020, for hearing.
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