Africa
TWO security guards, Mubarak Abubakar and Bisaka Dominic were on Tuesday arraigned in a Kado Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, for allegedly causing the loss of N45,100 worth of cement.
The defendants, Abubakar (23) and Dominic (28) both residents of Jabi Daki Biyu, Abuja, are facing a charge of negligent conduct.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them.
The Prosecution Counsel Fabian Nwaforji, told the court that on July 23, the complainant, Mr Lateef Yahaya of Gishiri, behind Living Faith Church, Abuja, reported the matter at the Life Camp Police Station, Abuja.
Nwaforji, alleged that on July 19, the complainant and security guards of a building site situated at Gishiri, counted 135 bags of cement and entrusted the store keys to them.
He told the court that when the complainant returned back to the site on July 20, he discovered 11 bags of cement were missing from the store all valued at N45, 100.
The prosecution counsel further alleged that during police interrogation, the defendants could not give satisfactory account to how the 11 bags of cement got missing.
He said the offence contravened Section 196 of the Penal Code Law.
Mrs Charity Samuel, counsel to the defendants prayed the court to grant her clients bail in the most liberal terms.
Samuel cited Sections 35 (4) and 36 (5) of the 1999 constitution and Sections 158 and 165 of the Administrative Criminal Justice Act 2015.
The defence counsel also said the defendants would not jump bail or interfere in the investigation, adding that the defendants had a reliable surety.
The prosecution counsel, however, did not object to the bail application made by the defence counsel.
The Area Court Judge Mohammed Wakili, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N100, 000 with a surety each in like sum.
Wakili ordered that the defendants provide a reliable surety, who must reside within the jurisdiction of the court.
He said that the sureties must provide a print out of BVN, two recent passport photographs and a valid identification card, which must be verified by the court registrar.
The Judge adjourned the case until Sept. 6, for hearing. (NAN)
Tags: Bisaka Dominic Mubarak Abubakar
