Richard Ginika Izuora
A 33 year old teacher, Nebe Ugochukwu, has been arrested and arraigned in court by the Police.
The suspect was accused of stealing a mobile phone valued at N70,000.
He was charged at Lugbe Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja for criminal trespass, mischief and theft.
The prosecution counsel, Mr Tosin Ojaomo, told the court that on April 7; the complainant, Nurudeen Adepoju, of Ayis Academy, FHA, Lugbe, Abuja, reported the matter at the Lugbe Police Station. Ojaomo said that the defendant was a former teacher in the school.
He said that on the same date, he went to the school and stole the complainant’s phone valued at N70,000.
He said while the defendant was trying to escape from the school; the complainant raised an alarm and the staff chased and apprehended him.
Ojaomo told the court that in the process, the defendant criminally destroyed the phone by smashing it on the floor. He added that during police investigation the defendant confessed to the crime; alleging that the school authority owed him N19,000.
The offences contravened sections 289, 327 and 348 of the Penal Code and the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The judge, Saleh Hala, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum.
Hala ordered that the surety must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and produce reliable means of identification and adjourned the matter until July 15, for mention.