A 26-year-old businessman, Yusuf Mahmud, was arraigned before Grade I Area Court, Gwagwalada, Abuja, for assisting a suspect to escape.

The police charged Mr Mahmud with a screening of an offender.

The prosecution counsel, Abdullahi Tanko, told the court that the complainants, Dauda Abdulmalik, Haliru Habibu and Shamsudeen, residents of Passo village, Gwagwalada, jointly reported against Nurah Yusuf, now at large at Gwagwalada police station on November 4.

Mr Tanko said Mr Yusuf, sometime in August, collected N2.4 million from the complainants with a promise to get them jobs at Q-NET company.

He said the job was not given to them, and when they asked for a refund, the defendant collected Mr Yusuf’s bag and asked him to run away.

The prosecutor said the offence contravened section 167 of the Penal Code.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty.

Judge Abdulkarim Abdullahi admitted the defendant to N200,000 bail with one surety who must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.

Mr Abdullahi said the surety must provide valid means of identification and adjourned the case until November 28 for a hearing. 

(NAN)