Security guard docked for alleged fraud

The Police on Thursday arraigned a 49-year-old security guard, Danjuma Baye in a Kado Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, for allegedly defrauding two men of N425,000.

The police charged Baye of Jabi Daki Biyu Village, Abuja, with criminal breach of trust and cheating.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Prosecution Counsel,  DSP Stanley Nwafoaku, said that on July 8 at about 12:08 p.m., the complainants Thomas Buba and Agnes Mathew both of Dape village Karmo, Abuja, reported the matter at the Life Camp Police station.

Nwafoaku alleged that the defendant, who was a security guard, attached to a private organisation deceived the complainants by promising to offer them jobs at the Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

He alleged that in the month of May and June, the complainants gave the defendant and his friend,  James Bawa, who works with the NSCDC, the sum of N425, 000.

The Prosecution Counsel further told the court that the defendant and his friend absconded to an unknown location after receiving the money, until the defendant was arrested by the police.

According to Nwafoaku, the offence contravenes Sections 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.

Charity Samuel, counsel for the defendant, prayed the court to grant bail to the defendant in the most liberal terms, citing Sections 35(4) and 36(5) of the 1999 constitution and Sections 158 and 165 of the Administrative Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.

The defence counsel also said the defendant would not jump bail or interfere in the investigation, adding that the defendant had a reliable and gainfully employed surety.

The prosecution counsel, however, did not object to the bail application made by the defence counsel.

The Judge, Mohammed Wakili, granted Baye bail in the sum of N300, 000 with a surety in like sum.

Wakili ordered that the defendant must provide a reliable surety, who must reside within the jurisdiction of the court.

He said that the surety must provide a BVN print out, two recent passport photographs and a valid identification card, which must be verified by the court registrar.

The Judge adjourned the case until Oct. 25, for hearing.