Suspected thief Awal Abdullahi stole an electric cable worth N1 million from an estate in Abuja and sold it for N1,000.

A Grade 1 Area Court, Dei-Dei, Abuja, heard on Thursday.

Mr Abdullahi, 30, is standing trial for criminal trespass and theft.

Police prosecutor Chinedu Ogada told the court that complainant John Behora of Sunshine Estate Gwarinpa Abuja had reported the theft on December 30, 2022.

Mr Ogada said that the complainant alleged that on December 28, the defendant criminally and smartly trespassed into the estate without the consent of the owners and carted away the cable belonging to the estate.

Mr Abdullahi was later caught and handed over to the police.

During a police investigation, the defendant confessed to the theft and said that he sold the cable to Fahat Aliyu, for N1,000 only, the prosecution counsel told the court.

He said the defendant further told the police that sometime ago, he stole a piece of iron rod from the estate and sold it to Aliyu for N1,200.

The offences contravened the provisions of Sections 343 and 288 of Penal Code law, Mr Ogada said.

Mr Abdullahi, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.

The trial  judge, Saminu Suleiman, ordered that Mr Abdullahi be remanded in the Correctional Service facility in Suleja, until February 13, for hearing.

(NAN)