A truck driver, Isah Mohammed, on Monday, appeared in a Wuse Zone Six Chief Magistrates’ Court, Abuja, for allegedly stealing 128 bags of sugar worth N2.3 million.
The police charged Mohammed alongside his conductors, Hassan and Hussein Adamu, all of Hotoro, Kano with two counts charge of conspiracy and theft.
They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The prosecution counsel, Asp. Peter Ejike told the court that the defendants committed the offence on Dec.24, 2020 at about 10:00pm along Mpape Expressway, Abuja.
Ejike said the defendants who were sent from Kano to deliver 652 bags of sugar to one Chikeze Alex, the complainant, of Sky Memorial, Wuse 2, Abuja, informed him of their arrival in Abuja.
The prosecutor in addition said Alex, therefore, instructed his security guard, one Abubakar Mohammed of North East Commission, Abuja to take delivery of the sugar.
He said it was in the process of offloading the bags of sugar that it was discovered that 128 bags were missing.
He said the defendants diverted the missing bags to an unknown destination and could not give account or explanation for them.
Ejike said the offence contravened the provisions of sections 97 and 287 of the Penal Code Law.
Their defence council, Bello Wali made an oral bail application and promised that the defendants who had been on administrative bail would not jump bail if granted by the court.
The Chief Magistrate, Aminu Abdullahi, therefore, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N300, 000 each with one surety in like sum.
He directed that the surety who should submit a passport photograph must be a responsible citizen with a known address that must be verified by the court officials.
Abdullahi also adjourned the case until Feb. 22, for hearing.