A 45-year-old businessman, Prince Ogbede, was arraigned before a Life Camp Chief Magistrates’ Court, Abuja, for allegedly intimidating and assaulting Abuja Electricity Distribution Company officials.

 The police charged Ogbede, of Kado Village, behind Chief Palace, Life Camp, Abuja, with criminal intimidation and assault.

 The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.

The Prosecutor, Charity Nwachukwu, told the court that the Chief Security Officer of AEDC, Wuse Zone 4 office, George Williams, reported the matter at the Life Camp Police Station on February 17.

Ms Nwachukwu said that on the same date, the defendant assaulted and obstructed workers of the company while performing their lawful duties.

 He said the defendant beat up one of the AEDC officials, Gloria Azobu, and also climbed their ladder while another worker, Momoh Abubakar, was trying to disconnect his electricity.

 The prosecutor said that the complainant, Williams, said that the defendant owed AEDC N1 million which he refused to pay.

 She said that while the officials were trying to disconnect the defendant’s light, he threatened to kill himself and the official on the ladder trying to carry out the disconnection.

 Mr Nwachukwu said that during the police investigation, the defendant could not give a satisfactory account of his actions.

According to her, the offences contravene the provisions of sections 97 and 265 of the Panel Code.

The Chief Magistrate, Musa Jobbo, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N800,000, with a surety in like sum.

Mr Jobbo said that the surety must reside within the court’s jurisdiction, with a reliable means of identification.

 He, thereafter, adjourned the matter till April 30 for hearing.

(NAN)