A 62-year-old engineer, Lateef Agbaje, has been arraigned for allegedly poisoning 19 chickens belonging to his landlady in Abuja.
The suspect was arraigned before Grade I Area Court, Kubwa, Abuja investigating police officer, Insp Salome Peter on Tuesday.
The police charged Agbaje with mischief by killing an animal for which he pleaded not guilty.
Ms. Peter disclosed this while being led in evidence by the Prosecution Counsel, John Akpa.
She said the case was reported at the Dutse Alhaji Police Station by the complainant and landlady to the defendant, Mrs. Ukanwa Goodness on May 17, 2021.
Peter said during police investigations the defendant said he saw a rat in the compound and he mixed Indocin capsules and salt to kill it.
Jibril cited Section 83 subsection 3 of the evidence act saying that the prosecution counsel provided him with all the proof of evidence in the case earlier, excluding the pictures.
He told the court that he was served the pictures the same morning of the day’s proceedings adding that they are irrelevant to the case.
In response, the prosecution counsel cited Section 379 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) which allows the prosecution to file additional proof of evidence before judgment is given.
“The document is very relevant in the case because the witness captured the incident in the course of her investigation, ” Okpa said.
The defence counsel, however, urged the court to discountenance the prosecution counsel’s submission saying that the said section applies to the High Courts.
Judge Muhammad Adamu adjourned the case until Oct.19 for a ruling.
