The Police in Enugu on Wednesday arraigned Gabriel Arum; his sons, Kenechukwu and Ifeanyi Obasi, before an Enugu East Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing security gate valued at N100,000.
The trio were also arraigned on five-count charge bordering on unlawful damage, breach of peace and stealing.
The security gate were said to be property of one Douglas Ogbodo at Umuchigbo, Iji-Nike in Enugu East Local Government Area.
However, when the charges were read out, the trio pleaded not guilty except the second accused, Gabriel Arum, who could not take his plea appropriately due to loss of state of mind.
The prosecutor, C.O. Ugwu, said the matter had been delayed since 2017 until it was recently reassigned to the new Magistrate and a fresh plea taken.
According to him, the accused had on November 16, 2017 in Umuchigbo Iji-Nike broken into the property of the complainant, stole the security gate and damaged other items.
Ugwu said the offence contravened section 496 of the Criminal Code Law of Enugu State, 2004.
Meanwhile, the counsel for the accused persons, Iyobosa Izevbigie, pleaded with the court to grant his clients bails in liberal terms and he also tendered medical report for the second accused person.
Izevbigie applied for the release of the second accused person from appearing in the matter given his health condition.
The Magistrate, A.N. Chioke, granted the accused persons bail in the sum of N200,000 each with three sureties for each in like sum.
Chioke said the sureties must be a Level 12 officer who resides within the jurisdiction of the court, related to the accused and order that their photographs be submitted to the court.
She added that she would discuss the issue of releasing the second accused person in the next adjourned date.
Chioke, however, adjourned the matter till April 14 for hearing.
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