Farmer fined Sh4k after his bull strayed into neighbour’s farm to mate
A farmer whose bull strayed into a private farm to mate with a heifer was Thursday fined Sh4,000 by a Timau court, or face six months’ imprisonment for the offence.
Mr Zachary Muriungi admitted that his bull broke a rope where it was tethered and strayed into Mastermind Farm in Ngushishi, Timau area to pursue a heifer grazing there.
He pleaded with Meru Senior Principal Magistrate Thomas Muraguri for leniency saying the act was beyond his control.
“My bull had been tethered firmly and could not have broken the rope had it not been for the heifer. It broke the rope to pursue the heifer and thus entered the farm,” he told the court.
GRAZING WITHOUT PERMISSION
Mr Muriungi, together with another farmer, Ms Frida Gakii pleaded guilty to the charges that on July 1, 2019, they were found grazing their cattle inside the farm without the permission of the farm manager.
Ms Gakii said her five cows strayed into the farm as she took care of her children who had just come from school.
The prosecution, through State Counsel James Kinyua, said the two had no previous records and could be admitted to lenient fines and sentences.
Mr Muraguri was conducting the case inside Timau Police station where the Meru court usually holds mobile court sessions.