A 41-year-old farmer, Musa Habila, was docked before a Kaduna Chief Magistrates’ Court on Thursday for allegedly stealing sweet potatoes worth N380,000.
Habila, a resident of Maraban Rido, Kaduna is standing trial for trespass and stealing to which he pleaded not guilty.
The Prosecutor, Insp. Chidi Leo, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on Nov. 14 around 5:00pm at Damishi along Kujama Road in Kaduna.
Leo stated that the defendant and two others still at large trespassed into the farmland of one Matthew Vincent and uprooted sweet potatoes worth N380,000.
The prosecutor said the defendant was caught and handed over to the police when a good samaritan informed the complainant about it.
He said the offences contravened sections 233 and 217 of the Penal Code of Kaduna State, 2017.
Section 232 stipulates two years jail term if found guilty, while section 217 stipulates three years jail term if found guilty.
The Magistrate, Ibrahim Emmanuel, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum.
He ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed and one of the sureties must be a blood relation to the defendant.
Emmanuel also ordered that the sureties must show evidence of tax payments to the Kaduna State Government.
He adjourned the case until Dec. 18, for hearing. (NAN)
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