A housewife, Mrs Roseline Aondona was Wednesday arraigned by the Police before a Makurdi Chief Magistrate Court for allegedly violating the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of Benue State.
The Prosecuting Police Officer, Inspector Gabriel Agbadu had in his First Information Report, FIR, informed the court that one Mr. James Uhana of North Bank area of Makurdi town had on May 16, 2020 reported to the Police that the accused had allowed her goats and ducks to eat up his palm tree and melon in his farm valued at about N150,000.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge but Inspector Agbadu told the court that investigation into the matter was still in progress and asked for another date.
Counsel to the accused, Mr Bem Ahor applied for her bail with an assurance that she would not tamper with the police investigation.
Ruling, the Chief Magistrate Mr. Peter Chaha granted bail to the accused in the sum of N200,000 and one surety in like sum and adjourned the case to June 23, 2020 for hearing.
Reacting to the development, Principal Special Assistant, PSA, to the Governor of Benue State on Legal Matters, Mr Emmanuel Agbakor explained that the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of Benue State was not targeted at any any ethnic group of persons or individual in the society and advised those interested in rearing livestock in the state to do so in accordance with the law or face the full wrath of the Law.
