The police on Thursday charged a 19-year-old man Abubakar Ma,amud, before a Life Camp Chief Magistrates’ Court in Abuja, for allegedly stealing a welding machine.

The defendant, a labourer who resides at the Madalla area of Niger State, is standing trial on a one-count charge of stealing.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The prosecutor, Charity Nwachukwu, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on June 30, on a premises located at No. 32, 111 Road, Gwarinpa, Abuja.

She alleged that a complainant, one Abdullahi Surajo, who works as a guard on the premises, reported the matter at the Gwarinpa Police Station.

The prosecutor alleged that the defendant invaded the said premises in the absence of the guard and stole a welding machine belonging to his employer.

The machine is valued at N1.5 million.
.
She said that the defendant was eventually arrested by the police adding that during interrogation, he could not give a satisfactory account of himself.

The offence contravenes the provision of section 288 of the Penal Code.

The Magistrate, Musa Jobbo, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500,000 with one surety in like sum.

He ordered that the surety must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and adjourned the case until August 21, for hearing.

(NAN)