A businessman, Anthony Ani, 28, on Thursday appeared in a Chief Magistrates’ Court Gwagwalada, FCT, for allegedly defrauding his clients of N13 million.
The police charged Ani, who lives in Abudullahi Attah Estate, Lokogoma Abuja, with three counts of criminal breach of trust, criminal misappropriation and cheating.
The Prosecution Counsel, Dabo Yakubu told the court that sometime in 2019 and 2020 the complainants, Mr Henry Nwande and Mudu Abubakar credited the defendant’s account with N8 million and N5 million to buy vehicles, sell and share the proceeds.
He said that the defendant converted the money to his own personal use.
He said that during police investigation, the defendant confessed that he used the said amount to settle his debt.
Yakubu said that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 312, 309 and 322 of the Penal Code.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The defence counsel, Elom Aleke prayed the court to grant his client bail in the most liberal terms citing Sections 34, 35 and 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amendment and sections 158 and 162 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
He said that his client when granted bail will not jump bail, will not interupt police investigation and will adhere strictly to the terms of the bail.
The prosecution counsel, however, objected to the bail on the grounds that he was a ‘flight risk’ and would jump bail.
The Chief Magistrate, Aliyu Shafa addmitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N1 million with two sureties in like sum who must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.
Shafa ordered that the defendant must submit his Bank Verification Number (BVN) and his international passport if any.
He adjourned the case until Aug. 11 for hearing. (NAN)
