Ibadan butchers arraigned for violating environmental laws

Two butchers in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, Mr. Yekeen Abiola and Mr. Moruf Akinsola, were on Friday, arraigned at a Mobile Court presided over by Chief Magistrate Risikat Ebeloku-Mustapha for allegedly violating Oyo State Environment Laws.

The duo were arraigned during the maiden sitting of the mobile court.

The accused persons were facing a three-count charge bothering on unlawful slaughtering of cows, operation without license and selling without permit.

Prosecutor, Mrs Olamide Tella, had told the court that the enforcement task force of the state government arrested the accused on Oct. 2 and Oct. 18 respectively.

Tella said that the offence contravened the state environmental laws.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the counts, asking the court to grant them bail to consult their lawyers and prepare for trial.

Ebeloku-Mustapha after listening to the two parties granted the accused bail in order to allow them consult their lawyers and prepare their witnesses for hearing.

The accused were granted bail in the like sum of N500,000 and N200,000 respectively, with two sureties each.

Ebeloku-Mustapha said that one of the sureties must be an executive member of their respective associations and the other gainfully employed with valid means of identification.

She then adjourned the case to November 2.