A 35-year-old farmer, Adebayo Olaniyi, was on Tuesday sentenced to 39 months' imprisonment by an Odo-Owa Area Court in Kwara, for biting -off Bode Arilewo's lower lip. Olaniyi of Ilowe Compound, Odo-Owa in Oke-Ero Local Government Area, was arraigned on a two-count charge of assault and causing hurt.

The convict had on his first arraignment on Sept. 18 pleaded not guilty to the charges. He was granted bail in the sum of N50, 000 with a surety in like sum. The Judge, Mr Abolade Banigbe, in his ruling sentenced Olaniyi to three months imprisonment with an option of N 1,000 fine on the first charge.

The convict was sentenced to three years' imprisonment on the second charge with an option of N 13, 000. The judge said that the prosecution had called two witnesses and proven his case beyond reasonable doubt. He said that the sentence was to serve as a deterrent to others. Banigbe said that the action of the convict could constitute nuisance to the larger society.

"I am only lenient with you as a first offender while you are advised to change your attitude positively," Banigbe said. Earlier, the Prosecutor, Sgt Mayowa Ogunsakin, told the court that the convict had on Sept.16 at about 10 a.m. committed the offence on a farmland along Eid praying ground.

Ogunsakin said the accused conspired with his wife and daughter, now at large, and attacked Bode Arilewo whom he alleged had trespassed into his farm. He said the convict used his teeth to chop-off Arilewa's lower lip during a brawl and inflicted him with body injuries before he was rushed to a nearby private hospital.

Ogunsakin said the offences contravened Sections 266 and 247 of the Penal Code.