A centenarian named Oladepo Ogunlade and 61-year-old Musiliyu Ogundiran were arraigned before an Iyaganku Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan on Friday for alleged land grabbing and illegal deforestation.
The duo was brought before the court on multiple-count charges of conspiracy, land grabbing, malicious damage, threatening violence and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.
According to prosecution counsel, Philip Amusan, the two men committed the offence in 2021 at Lawani village in Ibadan. He also claimed that the defendants, alongside others who are on the run, forcefully took possession of 25 acres of land worth N50 million, belonging to one Mr Wasiu Lawani.
Amusan also reported that the group destroyed some economic trees on the land such as cocoa, palm and coconut trees worth N800 000 while threatening violence. He said that they thus conducted themselves in a manner likely to breach peace by bulldozing the trees and for no just cause.
The Police said the offence went against the provisions of sections 516, 451 and 249(d) of the Criminal laws of Oyo State, 2000.
Amusan added that it also contravened Sections 6, 4 and 7(1) of the Oyo State Real Properties Protection Law, 2016.
However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. The Magistrate, Mrs O. A. Akande, then granted the defendants bail sums of N5 million each and two sureties each in like sum. The case was then adjourned until June 14 for a hearing.
