Justice Peter Kekemeke of an FCT High Court in Nyanya on Tuesday admitted a taxi driver, Paschal Chijioke, who allegedly swindled a businesswoman, to bail in the sum of N2 million.
The police charged Chijioke with two counts bordering on armed robbery.
The police alleged that the defendant, with others who are at large, on September 2, 2019 in Karu, FCT, while armed with dangerous weapons, robbed Christiana Ogundipe of N200,000.
The police also alleged that the defendant stole a techno cell phone value at N45,000.
The offence, the police said, contravened the provisions of sections 6 (b) of Robbery and firearms special provision Act, Laws of the Federation.
Kekemeke admitted the defendant to bail following an application for bail moved by the defence counsel, J.A. Mustapha.
The prosecution counsel, Chukwuemeka Ugwuanya, did not object to the bail application.
The Judge held: “I have taken a careful notice of the complaint of the complainant, the evidence is not such that can warrant the refusal of his bail.
“The weight of the evidence seems light.
“The defendant is deemed Innocent until proven guilty.
“In the circumstance of this case, I shall exercise my discretion in favour of the defendant.
“The defendant is hereby granted bail in sum of N2 million and two sureties in like sum, one who must be owner of certificate of occupancy within Abuja.”
Kekemeke then adjourned the matter until September 28 for trial.
Earlier, when the charge was read to the defendant, he pleaded not guilty, but the judge admonished him to tell the court the truth.
The Judge said: “The court is not the place to lie.
“It will not help you.
“Did you do these things?”
The defendant then told the court that on that faithful day, “we took the victim to Mararaba.
“We were three in number.
“One of us claimed to be a foreigner who brought goods like iPhones and gold necklaces for sale.
“He said he doesn’t have Nigerian currency, so we then agreed that we are going to help him get Nigerian money.
“We then went to where we can do that.
“On getting there, we told him that we have a film.
“IIt is the film that we will wash in a chemical and it will turn to money.”
He told the court that when that was done, it turned to money and they asked how they can get the chemical.
He added that they were directed to a laboratory scientist.
He added: “We all were able to contribute certain amount after the process.
“And the victim promised to contribute N200,000, which she did after four days.”
The Judge said: “Now that you have said the truth, it will go a long way to help you.”
