BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
The Osun State Government has arraigned a man, Olalere Adebayo, before a Magistrate’s Court sitting in Osogbo for allegedly encroaching on a state’s Forest Reserve in Ile-Ife and felling of trees worth millions of naira.
This came after a warning by the state government against encroachment by illegal loggers especially at the Shasha Forest Reserve in Ile-Ife, spanning about 310 square kilometers.
The Department of Public Prosecution, Osun State Ministry of Justice, slammed three counts bordering on illegal entry into government reserve and unlawful felling of economic trees against Adebayo.
The charge read that “Olalere Adebayo, on 24th August 2022, illegally entered government reserve located at Shasha Forestry Reserve within this Court Magisterial District and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 42(g) of Forestry Law of Osun State and punishable under Section 42(k) of the Osun State Forestry laws of Osun State 2022.
“You, Olalere Adebayo, on the same place and time and within the same magisterial district, unlawfully fell economic trees worth millions of Naira and thereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 44(4) of Forestry Law, Cap 46, 2002, and punishable under Section 44(4) of the same law.
“You, Olalere Adebayo, on 24th August 2022 in the same place and time and within the same Magisterial District, forcibly entered government reserve area, in shasha area and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 81 of the Criminal Code Laws of Osun State 2002.”
However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the allegations.
His counsel, Najite Okobe, urged the court to admit Adebayo to bail and assured that he would provide reliable people to stand surety for him.
Although the prosecuting counsel, M. R. Faremi, Assistant Director, Public Prosecution Department in the state, did not object to the bail application, he urged the court to take cursory look at count two, noting that the Supreme Court stipulated that where an offence earns three-year-jail-term, bail should not be granted.
Faremi, who lamented the alleged incessant felling of trees at the Shasha Forest Reserve, said that the activities of illicit timber traders were responsible for land degradation.
He said, “Bail is at the discretion of the court and it is not granted as a matter of course. I want the court to take a cursory look at the count two because the punishment is three years and above. The Supreme Court has stipulated that where the term is three years, bail shouldn’t be granted.
“We have more than 100 offenders on this illegal felling of trees in our forest reserve. Before the election, the charges were dismissed but the government was disturbed seeing them return to the reserve. If the bail conditions are not stringent, he (the alleged offender) might take flight.”
Ruling on the bail application, Magistrate A. O. Daramola granted the defendant bail in the sum of N1 million with two sureties in the same amount.
Daramola said that the sureties must be responsible citizens, including Civil Servants not below Grade Level 10.
The other surety, according to her, must be a property owner who must be ready to furnish the court with relevant documents, adding that the addresses of the sureties must be verified by the court bailiff.
The case was adjourned till September 22 for hearing.
The defendant was taken to the Ilesa Correctional Centre following his inability to meet the bail conditions.
