A 35-year-old herder, identified as Danladi Damess, has been convicted and sentenced to one-year imprisonment by a Makurdi Chief Magistrate’s Court for violating Benue State’s Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law.

Presided over by a Chief Magistrate, Isaac Ajim, the court convicted and sentenced Damess, a native of Doka village, Shandam Local Government Area (L.G.A.) of Plateau State on Wednesday, March 11th, 2020. He however, gave the convict an option to pay a fine of N500,000, owing to the fact he was a first-time offender.

The trial chief magistrate warned those who want to do livestock business in Benue to either resort to the ranching option or stay away from the state.

Ajim pointed out that it is the duty of the judiciary to protect the citizens of the state against the violators of the law prohibiting open grazing in Benue.

Earlier, prosecuting police officer, ASP Hyacinth Gbakor told the court that on March 9, 2020, while on patrol, the leader of the livestock guards in Gwer West local Government Area (L.G.A), Otor Emmanuel, and his team, sighted the herdsman with cows grazing. He went on to say that the livestock guards nabbed the herder for contravening section 19(2) of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017.

When the charge was read to him in court, the herdsman pleaded guilty to the charge and the trial magistrate read out his judgement.

After the judgment, the convict was transported to Federal Correctional Centre in Makurdi, where he would either serve out his jail term or pay his fine to be set free.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.