A herdsman Ali Haruna has been sentenced to two years imprisonment by a Chief Magistrates court in Ekiti state for grazing in a farmland in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

The Police prosecutor, Olasunkanmi Bankole presented four witnesses who confirmed that the 18-year-old Haruna was caught in the midnight grazing his cow in the farm belonging to Abdulahi Yaho and Bello Mohammed.

The cows destroyed cash crops worth three million naira.

Delivering his judgment the Magistrate, Idowu Ayenimo, said the accused was arraigned in his court on Jan 22, 2016 on a two-count charge of willful and unlawful damage of farm crops at Ago Aduloju in Ado-Ekiti.

He said the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt as he refused to believe the accused statement that the owner of the cows resided in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital.

The defence counsel, Chris Omokhafe, pleaded with the court to be merciful in its judgment saying that he was a first offender.

But the magistrate would have none of it as he sentenced Haruna to two years imprisonment without an option of fine.