Court issues bench warrant against businessman, grants 2 bail

Two middle aged women, Juliet Omeje and Veronica Ogbonnaya, on Tuesday, appeared before a Grade I Area Court, Kubwa, Abuja, for alleged criminal breach of trust.
The police charged the defendants of Apo Mechanic Estate, Abuja with joint act, criminal breach of trust and cheating.
The Prosecution Counsel, Faith Sunday alleged that the defendants conspired with one Egbenyi Chidiebere, a 39-year old businessman, now on the run, to deceitfully use the complainant, Mrs Chinyere Bibian’s bank details as guarantor to obtain a N2 million loan in April 2021.
Sunday told the court that Omeje and the complainant, are friends and neighbours.
The prosecution counsel told the court that the N2 million loan accumulated interest to N4.5 million while the defendants refused to offset the loan leaving the complainant to face the consequence.
The offence, she said, contravened the provisions of Sections 79, 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Judge, Yahaya Sheshi acquiesced to the defence counsel, Mr Tochukwu Agoziem’s bail application request and granted the defendants bail in the sum of N5 million each.
Sheshi ordered that the defendants must provide one reliable surety each, with such sureties being resident within the court’s jurisdiction.
He said the sureties must provide two passport photographs, means of identification and deposit the sum of N500, 000 each as security before the court’s registrar.
The judge also ordered a bench warrant against the fleeing Chidiebere for failure to appear for trial.
He adjourned the case until Feb. 2, for hearing.