The police yesterday arraigned an applicant, Bassey Francis, 46, at an Abuja Senior Magistrates’ Court for allegedly cheating a businessman of N660,000.
He is facing a two-count charge of criminal breach of trust and cheating.
The prosecutor, Cpl. Simon Emmanuel, told the court that the accused person, of no fixed address, committed the offence in May 2010.
Emmanuel said the matter was reported by Tuebi Izedium of Citec Estate, Life Camp, Abuja, at the Life Camp Police Station, Abuja, on February 16.
The prosecutor said the accused person in May 201, told the complainant that he had secured a contract for the supply of power inverters to Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO) in Idu Industrial area, Abuja.
He added that the accused person then collected four power inverters, valued at N660, 000 from the complainant.
The accused person, he noted, had confessed during investigation that he sold the inverters and diverted the money to his personal use.
The prosecutor said the offence contravened the provisions of sections 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.
If convicted, he is liable to seven years in prison or with an option to pay a fine or with both.
However, the accused person pleaded not guilty to the offence.
The Senior Magistrate, Mr Zubairu Mohammed, granted him bail in the sum of N500, 000 with one reliable surety in like sum.
Mohammed ordered that the surety must be a civil servant not below Grade level 08 and must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court.
He adjourned the case to March 10, for mentioning. (NAN)
