Man Pleads Not Guilty To Stealing Neighbour’s N425,000

A 19-year-old man, Okon Wisdom, has pleaded not guilty to allegations that he stole his neighbour’s N425,000.

He was docked yesterday before a Life Camp Chief Magistrates’ Court in Abuja for allegedly stealing the money.

The police charged Wisdom, who lives in Catholic Church Last Gate Karmo, Abuja, with criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and theft

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him by the police.

The prosecutor, Charity Nwachukwu, told the court that the complainant, Mr Okpe Henry, who lives in Karmo, Abuja, reported the matter at the Karmo Police Station on May 5.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nwachukwu said the defendant conspired with others, now at large, and stole the money from the complainant’s Point of Sales (PoS) shop.

He said that they also stole a Tecno Spark 10C cell phone worth N190,000.

Nwachukwu said during the police investigation, the defendant confessed to the crime, and all efforts made to recover the stolen items failed.

The prosecutor informed the court that the offence contravened the provisions of Sections 97, 312 and 317 of the Penal Code

The defence counsel, Mrs Lilian Ibrahim, made an oral bail application citing Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution and Sections 158, 162 and 168 of ACJA 2015.

Ibrahim urged the court to grant the defendant bail on more liberal terms, adding that the defendant would not jump bail or interfere with further investigation.

The prosecution did not oppose the bail application made by defence counsel.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr Musa Jobbo, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N500,000 with one surety in like sum.

Jobbo ordered that the surety must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and adjourned the case until July 13 for hearing.