The Mobile Environment Court of the Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency, (BASEPA) has sentenced three residents of Bauchi metropolis to three months imprisonment for destroying trees planted along Sam Njoma street in Bauchi.
The accused, one Christian Okechukwu, Abdulkarim Muhammed, all male and one Pauline Anoze, a female pleaded guilty to their offence. They were accused of letting their ruminant animals, numbering eleven t destroy the trees that were recently planted along the road after it was renovated by the present administration in the state.
WikkiTimes gathered that the animals of the accused ate about forty seedlings of the trees contrary to the provision of section 5 subsection 2a and 4 of the Bauchi State Environment Law 2017.
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In her ruling, Magistrate Laraba Hamisu found the accused persons guilty of the offence under section 34 subsection 2 and section 46 of the Bauchi State environmental law 2017 and sentenced them to two months imprisonment each at the Bauchi Correctional Centre with an option of an N3,500 fine each.
The Magistrate said the accused will jointly pay N40,000 for the 40 damaged trees; N3,520 was awarded for watering the affected trees covering sixty days. Each tree is said to consume N88 daily amounting to N251,200.
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Magistrate Laraba further aversed that anyone who s not satisfied with the judgement can file an appeal to the High Court of Appeal.
However, the Director-General of BASEPA Dr Ibrahim Kabir said the judgement will serve as deterrence to others, adding that the agency will not spare anyone found guilty of destroying the natural environmental resources of the state.
