A 24-year-old labourer, Fahad Bello, was on Tuesday arraigned before a Life Camp Chief Magistrates’ Court in Abuja for allegedly stealing tiles and electric wires worth N7.8 million belonging to his employer.

The police charged Bello of Kado Biko Gwarinpa, Abuja, with criminal trespass mischief and theft, to which he, however, pleaded not guilty.

The Prosecuting Counsel, Charity Nwachukwu, told the court that the complainant, Charles Okwudirichukwu, of Jabi Park, Abuja, reported the matter at the Life Camp Police Station on May 1.

Ms Nwachukwu said that the complainant went to his site located at Gwarinpa when he heard some noise inside the ceiling.

She said that when Mr Okwudirichukwu checked to find out what was happening, he saw the defendant cutting the already fixed electric wires.

The prosecuting counsel said that in the process of stealing the electric wires, the defendant also destroyed the complainant’s chandelier light valued at N400,000.

She further stated that the defendant had already made away with tiles valued at N1.3 million, electric wires worth N6 million and 10 pieces of aluminium windows worth N500,000.

Ms Nwachukwu said that during police investigation, the defendant made a confessional statement that he sold the stolen items to some persons, namely: Nura Abubakar, Muhammad Muyi, Isha Abdullahi and Ismalla Nura.

She said that the defendant also mentioned one Meizamalu (surname unknown and now at large) and some of the complainant’s wires were recovered from Muyi.

The offences, according to her, contravene the provisions of sections 348 and 288 of the Panel Code.

Chief Magistrate, Musa Jobbo, admitted the defendant to bail in sum of N500,000, with two sureties in like sum.

Mr Jobbo said that the sureties must be property owners in Abuja and must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.

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

(NAN)