A 63-year- old retiree, Ifeanyi Nzemezie, was on Monday docked in an Upper Area Court Gwagwalada, FCT, for allegedly cheating his friends.
The police charged, Nzemezie, who resides in Federal worker’s village Gwagwalada with two counts of criminal breach of trust and cheating.
The Prosecution Counsel, Dabo Yakubu, told the court that the complainants Fanodun Oyin and Martins Olomruba all residents of FCT, Abuja, reported the matter at the police station on Jan. 22.
Yakubu said that the the defendant introduced the complainants to fish farming business with the assurance that it was a lucrative business.
He said that the sum of N572,000 was paid into the defendant’s account for the business, adding that he failed to give account of the fish he purchased.
He said the the defendant converted the money to his personal use, adding that during police investigation the sum of N432,000 was recovered from him remaining a balance of N140,000.
The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 312 and 320 of the Penal Code.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Defence Counsel, S.A Tsokwa, prayed the court to grant his client bail in the most liberal terms, citing sections 158 and 162 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) to buttress his claims for bail.
The Judge, Sani Umar admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N200,000 with one surety in like.
Umar ordered that the surety must reside within the court’s jurisdiction, must present any means of identification and two recent passport photograph.
He said that in default the defendant should be remanded in Suleja Correctional Centre.
Umar adjourned the case until March 7 for hearing. (NAN)
