A landlady, Mrs Goodness Ukanwa, has told a Grade I Area Court in Kubwa, Abuja, that her tenant, Lateef Agbaje, poisoned and killed her dog and 19 chickens.

The prosecutor, John Okpa, told court that the defendant, Lateef Agbaje of Dutse, Abuja, threw a poisonous substance in the compound sometime in May.

Supporting the police charge, Mrs Ukanwa told the court that, “My chickens and security dog fed on the substance and died. A little girl in the compound noticed my chickens were dying and so packed the substance they were eating in a bag to prevent more chickens from dying.

“I confronted the defendant over the issue and he told me that he put the poison to get rid of rats. I asked him to show me the dead rats but he did not. His wife sympathised with me over the loss of my chickens but he scolded her for doing so.”

Mrs Ukanwa further said during the confrontation, the defendant said his wife did not like chickens and that he would not have moved into my house if he knew I reared chickens.

The Judge, Muhammad Adamu, adjourned the case to October 21. (NAN)