The Bauchi State Environmental Mobile Court has sentenced three persons to two months imprisonment for negligence and releasing animals to roam about destroying 40 tree seedlings planted by the agency along Sam Njoma Street, New GRA, Bauchi.
The three persons Pauline Anozie, Christian Nwankwo and Abdulkareem Mohammed all of Sam Njoma Street, New GRA Bauchi were arraigned before the court.
The seedlings were part of the 270 trees planted by the agency last March during the celebration of the 2022 World Forestry Day.
The prosecutor had asked the court to compel the defendants to compensate the agency for the forty seedlings destroyed by the animals, the cost of replanting, pay the money spent for two months watering of the trees and also compensate the agency for the money spent on feeding their arrested stray animals.
The offences according to the prosecution contravened section Section 5, subsection 2a, Paragraph 4, punishable under section 34 subsection 2 and section 46 of the Bauchi State Environmental laws 2017.
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In her ruling, the presiding judge sentenced them to two months of imprisonment each at the Bauchi Correctional Facility or option of a fine of N3,500 each. They are also to pay the sum of N4,000 for the destroyed trees and another N4,000 for labour and replanting of the trees and the cost of watering as the agency applied.
Briefing newsmen after the judgement, the Director-General of the agency, Dr Ibrahim Kabir said that the accused persons released their animals which destroyed trees planted by the agency along Sam Njoma Street, which is an offence and punishable according to BASEPA law.
According to him, the arrest of the animals, arraignment and the prosecution of the owners showed how the agency consider trees and it was also meant to serve as a deterrent to others so as not to negligently allow their animals to roam the streets and destroy not only trees but people’s properties and sometimes causes accidents and other inconveniences.
The Legal Adviser of the agency, Barr Haruna Ibrahim, said that he is happy with the judgement and hopes it will serve as a deterrent to others for the overall betterment of all.
Recall that, the agency on Tuesday, during its routine surveillance patrol at Sam Njoma street New GRA Bauchi arrested stray animals belonging to the culprits destroying trees planted by the agency as contained in a statement by Isyaka Laminu Badamasi, SA Media DG BASEPA.
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