The police on Tuesday arraigned two men, Rilwan Garba and Michael Genesis, in a Life Camp Magistrates’ Court, Abuja, for allegedly receiving stolen phones.

The police charged Garuba, 20, and Genesis, 26, both of Efab Queens Estate Galadima, with joint acts and receiving stolen property.

The prosecution counsel, Charity Nwachukwu, told the court that on August 30, the complainant, Loveth Ayoade of Efab Estate, Galadima, Abuja, reported the matter at the Gwarinpa police station.

Ms Nwachukwu said the complainant alleged that her domestic staff, Christabel Isaac, dishonestly went into her husband’s room and made away with $1,200 and gave the defendants $800 to change into naira for her.

She told the court that the defendants collected the money knowing fully that Ms Isaac is a domestic staff member in the complainant’s house, but they concealed the information from her employer.

She said the defendants changed the said $800 for her but refused to give her the naira equivalent and converted the money for their personal use.

During the investigation, the defendants made a confessional statement but could not give a satisfactory account of the said money, and efforts made to recover the money proved abortive.

She added that the offence contravened Sections 79 and 317 of the Penal Code.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty.

The magistrate, Ramilatu Halilu, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N500,000 each, with two sureties each in like sum.

Ms Halilu ordered that the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and provide reliable means of identification.

The case was adjourned to October 2 for hearing. 

(NAN)