A trader, Salisu Usman, who allegedly received stolen property, on Thursday, was arraigned before a Life Camp Magistrates’ Court, Abuja. 

Usman 35, of Gwari Village, Mpape, Abuja, pleaded not guilty to the charge of  receiving stolen property.

The Prosecution counsel, Charity Nwachukwu, told the court that sometime in November 2025, the complainant, Umeh Chukwuma of Gwarimpa, Abuja, reported a case of theft at the Gwarinpa Police Station.

Mr Nwachukwu said the complainant alleged that one Felix Nnandi dishonestly went into his shop and made away with his electrical appliances worth N23 million.

She told the court that at in the course of police investigation, Nnandi confessed to have sold the stolen property to the defendant.

The prosecution counsel said that when Usman was invited for questioning, he reportedly admitted to receiving the stolen property in his statement and returned N2 million and one mm single electric wire.

However, Nwachukwu said efforts made to recover the other goods stolen proved abortive 

She added that the offence contravened Section 317 of the Penal Code.

The Magistrate, Best Ojukwu, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N2 million with two sureties in like sum.

Mr Ojukwu ordered that one of the sureties must be a civil servant not below level 10 civil, and both must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and provide reliable means of identification.

The case was adjourned to February 3 for hearing.

 (NAN)