One Alhaji Banko Salihu and his wife, Jumoke of No. 46, Pakata Road, Ilorin, have been arraigned before an Ilorin Magistrate Court for allegedly trespassing into another person's compound.

Alhaji Salihu was said to have criminally conspired with his wife and trespassed into the compound of Mrs. Grace Adeniran of Offa Garage Area, Ilorin, where they pull down the fence of her house.

Police arrested the couple following a petition on January 23 to the Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command, Ilorin, by Mrs. Adeniran that the accused destroyed the fence of her house.

According to the petition, on January 19 the accused and two others now at large unlawfully entered her compound and pulled down her fence valued at N500,000.

Police First Information Report (FIR) on the matter stated that investigation conducted at the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB), Kwara State Police Headquarters, Ilorin, revealed that the family of the accused committed the offence.

The accused were dragged before the court on a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, mischief and trespass contrary to Sections 97, 327 and 348 of Penal Code Law.

The prosecutor, Inspector Godwin Asua informed the court that investigation into the matter was still ongoing, even as he urged the court to exercise its bail discretion judicially and judiciously.

The defence counsel, Barrister A.S. Awe prayed the court to admit the accused to bail pending the outcome of the investigation. He submitted further that the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria still presumed the accused innocent of the offences until contrary is proved.

The trial magistrate, Mrs. M.S. Lawal exercised its bail discretion in favour of the accused and admitted them to bail each at the sum of N50,000 and two sureties in the same amount.

The court adjourned the case till February 21 for further mention.