Chief Magistrates’ Court in Wuse, Abuja, has discharged two herdsmen — Yusuf Adamu and Abdulmumin Yusuf — who were facing charges of criminal trespass, conspiracy, and mischief.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the police had initially filed the charges after the defendants allegedly allowed their cattle to graze on a farm located in Area 11, Garki, Abuja.
The case was brought to an end after the prosecution counsel, Mr. Simpa Ibrahim, informed the court that the complainant, Louis Demnongo, had chosen to withdraw the case. Citing Section 108(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), Ibrahim applied for the case to be struck out and the First Information Report (FIR) to be withdrawn.
Magistrate Farida Ibrahim granted the application, discharged the defendants, and formally struck out the matter. However, she cautioned the herdsmen to be mindful of where they allow their cattle to graze in the future.
“The First Information Report is hereby withdrawn, and the defendants are discharged,” the magistrate ruled.
Earlier in the proceedings, the prosecution had stated that the complainant reported the matter to Garki Police Station on August 9. It was alleged that the two herdsmen had unlawfully entered the farm with a herd of cattle, which proceeded to consume unharvested maize crops.
The actions were said to be in violation of Sections 342 and 326 of the Penal Code.