Two men and a woman was on Tuesday arraigned in a Life Camp Chief Magistrates’ Court, Abuja, for allegedly stealing 51 bags of sesame seeds (bene seed) and two bags of soybeans.

Nnaji Chimwe, 54, Zakaraya Gajere, 35 and Blessing Agenyi, 20, all of Sheriff Deputy Security company Oneman village, Abuja, were charged with joint act, house breaking, criminal trespass and theft.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecutor, Charity Nwachukwu, told the court that the complainant, Joseph Abanka of Paipe village, Abuja, reported the matter at the Karmo Police Station on February 16.

She alleged that the defendants, between February 6 and 10 made away with 30 bags of clean sesame seeds, 21 bags of unclean sesame seeds and two bags of soybeans all valued at N7.12 million

The prosecutor alleged that the defendants made away with the complainant’s bags of sesame seeds and soybeans and sold it to their customers in Sabon Wusa market without his consent.

She said that they were later caught and handed over to the police for proper investigation.

Ms Nwachukwu told the court that during police investigation and interrogation, the defendants made a confessional statement.

She said that all efforts to recover the stolen property proved abortive.

The offence, she said, contravened the provisions of Sections 79, 34, 349 and 289 of the Penal Code.

The Chief Magistrate, Musa Jobbo, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N500, 000 each, with two sureties each in like sum.

Jobbo ordered that the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction, and should produce reliable means of identification.

He adjourned the case until April 16, for hearing. 

(NAN)