The police in Ondo State have arraigned a middle-aged man, Oyeniyi Aro, before a Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Odode-Idanre, in the Idanre Local Government Area of Ondo State, over the alleged forceful invasion and malicious damage of farmlands in the area.
Aro was charged with five counts, including conspiracy, forceful entry into a portion of land, and illegal land grabbing, involving properties belonging to the Akinmade and Akinwalere families.
The defendant, who was charged with conspiracy, forcible entry, and theft, among other charges, pleaded not guilty to the offenses. The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Charity Adeyanju, granted him bail in the sum of N2 million with two sureties in like sum.
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The Chief Magistrate specified that the sureties must reside within the jurisdiction of the court.
While ruling on the bail application, Chief Magistrate Mrs. Charity Adeyanju admitted Aro to bail in the sum of N2 million, ordering him to physically report to the court pending the hearing and determination of the case against him.
During the arraignment, the Police Prosecutor, Omoniyi Lebile, informed the court that the defendant had forcibly entered farmlands belonging to the Akinmade and Akinwalere families in the Idanre community.
Prosecutor Lebile further informed the court that he would call five witnesses to prove the charges against the defendant, Mr. Oyeniyi Aro, and requested an adjournment to allow him to review the case file.
Counsel for the defendant, Samuel Omomowo, prayed the court to grant his client bail on liberal terms, arguing that the offense was bailable and assuring the court that the defendant would not jump bail.
However, the Police Prosecutor opposed the bail application, expressing concern that the defendant would flee, noting that Aro had previously failed to appear before the police after being granted administrative bail.
Lebile informed the court that the defendant had refused to honor police invitations and had become evasive, forcing the police to track his phone number before they could arrest him.
He added that after being granted administrative bail by the police, Aro abused the privilege by failing to appear for subsequent police invitations until he was tracked down and charged in court.
Counsel for the Akinmade and Akinwalere families, O. S. Akintububo Esq, argued that the defendant was a flight risk as he had no known place of residence.
According to him, when a civil suit was filed against Aro, serving him court processes became a difficult task as no one knew his whereabouts.
“He was eventually served with court processes after the police arrested him by tracking his phone.”
Akintububo further noted that the defendant’s actions were not only reprehensible but also had the potential to incite communal clashes between Akure and Idanre.
He explained that the defendant, who hails from Osun State, falsely claimed that the cocoa farmlands of the Akinmade and Akinwalere families were located in the Akure Forest Reserve, a claim that was later disproved by the Ministry of Forestry and Natural Resources.
The counsel urged the court to consider the interest of justice in its decision regarding the defendant’s bail.
However, the court granted the defendant bail in the sum of N2 million, with two sureties in like sum.
The Magistrate specified that the two sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction, swear to an affidavit, submit two passport photographs, and provide means of identification. Additionally, their residences must be verified by the court’s police orderly.
