Ondo families sue resident for ‘land grabbing’

Two families in Idanre, Ondo state, have dragged one Oyeniyi Aro before a chief magistrate court over alleged forceful invasion and malicious damage of farmlands. 

Aro was charged with five count bothering on conspiracy, stealing, forceful entry to a portion of land, and illegal grabbing of land belonging to Akinmade and Akinwalere families in Idanre community.

Omoniyi Lebile, the police prosecutor, informed the court that the defendant forcibly entered a farm belonging to the two families in the community.

Lebile told the court that he would be calling five witnesses to prove the offences allegedly committed by the defendant and consequently applied for an adjournment to enable him study the case file.

Aro, however, pleaded not guilty to the allegations preferred against him.

Samuel Omomowo, counsel to the defendant, prayed the court to grant Aro bail on liberal terms, saying the offence is bailable, while assuring the court that the defendant would not jump bail.

But Lebile opposed the application. He said the defendant had earlier failed to appear before the police when he was granted administrative bail.

Lebile added that the defendant also refused to honour police invitation and became evasive until the police tracked his phone number and got him arrested.

While making his submission, O.S. Akintububo, counsel to the Akinmade and Akinwalere families, argued that the defendant is a flight risk as he has no known place of abode.

The counsel to the two families said the action of the defendant is capable of causing communal clash between Akure and Idanre, while he urged the court to take into cognisance the interest of justice in considering the bail of the defendant.

The court, however, granted the defendant the bail in the sum of N2 million and two sureties in like sum.