A 70-year-old cocoa farmer, Olabisi Titus, has been dragged before a Chief Magistrate’s Court in Ondo town, for unlawfull harvest of Cocoa pods valued at N200,000, property of one Olasehinde Adeboye.
The police brought Titus before the court on Tuesday for committing the offence.
The defendant is facing a one- count charge bothering on unlawful harvest of cocoa pod. He pleaded not guilty to the charge.
He was said to have committed the offence in November, 2020 at about 6: 05pm contrary to section 383(2)(a) and punishable under sections 390(9) of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Volume 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.
The police prosecutor, Mr Gbenga Akinsulire , told the court that would be calling three witnesses to testify in the case. But he applied for a date to enable him study the case file.
Lawyer for the defendant, Mr. Isreal Ikuemonisan, applied for the bail of the defendant in most liberal terms.
The presiding Magistrate, Mrs Odenusi Fadeyi granted the accused bail in the sum of N250,000 with two sureties in like sum.
She said the sureties must be residents within the jurisdiction, while they must show evidence of payment of tax for the current year.
Odenusi-Fadeyi adjourned the case till February 19, 2021 for trial.