Court convicts herder for violating Benue grazing law

A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Makurdi has convicted one herder, Muhammad Abdullahi of Mahanga Village in Awe Local Government Area of Nassarawa State for violating the Benue State Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law.

Presiding Judge, Isaac Ajim, handed a fine of N500, 000 to the convict with an option of one year imprisonment.

The Police Prosecuting Officer, ASP Gbakor Hyacinth, had earlier told the court that on March 2, 2020, at about 7:30pm, the State Commander of the Livestock Guards, Linus Zaki and his team arrested the accused along Guma Village in Guma LGA with cows grazing openly, contrary to section 19(2) of the anti-open grazing law.

The accused herder had pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read and interpreted to him in Hausa language.

But, Counsel to the accused, T.I Ikyagba however pleaded for leniency, adding that the accused did not waste the time of the court as he accepted his crime and he is a first offender.

Ajim therefore after hearing the plea for leniency fined the accused person N500, 000 with an option of one year imprisonment.