A 38-year-old man, Solomon Oyewole, who allegedly trespassed on a landed property and maliciously fell teak and other trees valued at N150 million, was on Thursday brought before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.
Oyewole is facing a four-count charge bordering on forceful entry, malicious damage and threatening violence.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
But Police Insp. Oladele Adebayo, the prosecutor, told the court that the offences were committed sometime in 2017 at Igbokuta Village behind Model School.
He said the accused had forcefully entered a landed property belonging to Dr Veronica Aluko and cut down 1,300 teak and other herbal plants all valued at N150 million.
The accused also threatened violence to enable him gain entry to the land, he said.
The offences contravened Sections 350 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, and also Sections 2(2), 3(3) (a)(b) of the Lagos State Property Protection Law, 2016.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr O.O. Olatunji, granted the accused a bail of N5 million with two responsible sureties in like sum.
Further hearing has been fixed for May 16. (NAN)