BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
The Police in Osun State have dragged a man, Moses Odeniran, before an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court for allegedly destroying a pond belonging to his estranged wife and killing the fish in it.
Odeniran was arraigned together with three other men that allegedly joined him in invading the fish pond located at Dagbolu in Ikirun, Osun State.
Other defendants are God’sPower Obi, aged 29; Azi Ikechukwu, aged 26; and 25-year-old Obinna Godwin.
They were accused of damaging the fish pond and killing fish valued at N1.5 million, the property of the complainant, Seyifunmi Adegunloye.
It was gathered that Adegunloye, a policewoman and 52-year-old Odeniran, who claimed to be a pastor of The Apostolic Church, are a married couple whose union was in crisis.
The ownership of the land, upon which the pond is situated, is said to be the bone of contention between the duo.
Details of the charge brought against the four accused persons read, “That you Odeniran Moses, God’sPower Obi, Ázi Ikechukwu and Obinna Godwin on 06/09/2023 at about 0530hrs at Dagbolu Ikirun, in Ikirun Magisterial district, did conspire amongst yourselves to carry out an unlawful purpose to wit malicious damage of a fish pond, property of one Adegunloye Seyifunmi, valued N1,500,000.00k (One million five hundred thousand naira only) and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 517 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol. II, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.
“That you (defendants) on same date at aforesaid Magisterial District did enter into a fish pond located at Omoluabi Estate Dagbolu Ikirun, property of one Adegunloye Seyifunmi and damaged the big net covering the pond and killed several fish valued #1,500,000.00k (One million five hundred thousand naira only) and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 451 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol. II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.”
The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges. Their counsel, Tunbosun Oladipupo, urged the court to grant them bail.
Magistrate A. O. Odeleye granted the defendants bail in the sum of N500,000 each with a surety each in the like sum.
The surety must be a blood relation of the accused person and a house owner who must reside in Ikirun with Certificate of Occupancy or Deeds of Conveyance of the house.
Odeleye adjourned the matter till September 18 for mention at Ikirun court.
