COURT DISCHARGES 10 HUNTERS, FARMERS ACCUSED OF KILLING 5 IN ADAMAWA

Some of the Hunters/Farmers discharged by the court

The Chief Magistrate Court 4 in Adamawa State has discharged the Chairman Local Hunters of Toungo Local Government Area and 9 others accused of killing 5 people in the LGA.

Those discharged by the court include; Ibrahim Maunde, Chairman Local Hunters Toungo LGA, Ibrahim Adamu, 28, Abdullahi Wari, 31, Buda Idi, 50, Ilkiya Christopher, 42.

Others are; Obasanjo Musa, 37, Aaron Micheal, 40, John Yaratsada, 43, Mohammed Baba Nabedu, 65, and Sani Alhaji Isa of Toungo LGA.

Magistrate Blessing D. Ishaya, discharged the defendants following legal advice dated 7th March, 2022, and signed by Z. Y. Usman, Senior State Counsel II of the State Ministry of Justice.

The ministry informed the court that no prime facie case has been established against the suspects, and that in the intetest of justice, they should be discharged.

The defendants were arraigned before the court in connection with a clash between herders and farmers at Garin Yohanna/Wuro Dole in Toungo LGA on the 5th December, 2021.

It was learnt that on that fateful day, some herders came and put their cattle in the farm of John Yaratsada who along side labourers were havesting farm produce.

When Yaratsada approached them, the armed herdsmen were said to have resisted and started shooting at Yaratsada and his labourers with arrows which resulted in a clash.

NEWS PLATFORM gathered that the clash resulted in the death of 5 people,12 others critically injured, while 4 houses burnt down, and domestic animals killed during the incident.

When arraigned in court, all the defendants pleaded not guilty as a result of which the prosecutor, Inspector Zakka Musa, applied for the adjournment of the matter to enable the prosecution transmit case file to DPP for legal advice.

Earlier, the prosecution in First Information Report tendered by Zakka, alleged that the accused were charged before the court for criminal conspiracy, mischief, voluntary causing grievious hurt, mischief by fire, mischief by killing or maiming cattle, harbouring and culpable homicide.

During the proceedings, Augustine Sambo, M. M. Tumba, M. P Atsev and I Mohammed appeared for all the deferndants.