Two men– Samson James, 28 and Jonathan Edwards, 26 –were on Tuesday arraigned before a Kaduna Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing foodstuffs worth N215,000.

Messrs James and Edwards, who reside at Sabon Tasha, Kaduna, are being charged with criminal conspiracy and stealing.

The Prosecutor, Inspector Chidi Leo, told the court that the defendants committed the offence on January 4 at Ungwan Boro, Kaduna.

According to Leo, the defendants and two others, now at large, stole foodstuffs from a shop belonging to the complainant, Benita Okoro.

He stated that the defendants stole four bags of semovita, two bags of rice, five cartons of noodle, two 25-litre gallons of soyabean oil and four cartons of maggi seasoning, all valued at N215,000.

Mr Leo further said James and Edwards were apprehended by residents and handed over to the police.

“The stolen items were also recovered from them in the course of investigation,” he said.

He said the offences contravened sections 233 and 217 of the Penal Code of Kaduna State, 2017.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Magistrate, Ibrahim Emmanuel, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N200,000 each, with two sureties each in like sum.

He ordered that the sureties must reside within the jurisdiction of the court and must have reliable means of livelihood.

Emmanuel adjourned the case until February 2 for hearing.

(NAN)