Employee in court for allegedly stealing cutting machine

An employee, Naphtali Barnabas, was on Wednesday docked in an upper Area court, Karu, Abuja, for allegedly stealing cutting machine worth N220,000 belonging to the company.

The police charged Barnabas, 24, of no fixed address, with theft.

The Prosecution Counsel, Mr Ade Adeyanju, told the court that the matter was reported at the Garki Police station by Mr Ade Adeyanjuof Rita Lori Hotel, Garki 2, Abuja.

Adeyanju told the court that on Oct. 25, the defendant who was an employee at the same address, dishonestly and without the consent of management, stole a cutting machine worth N220,000 and was no where to be found until he was sighted at Garki 2 and arrested by the police.

The offence, he said, contravenes the provisions of Section 327 and 289 of the Penal Code.

He said that during police investigation, the defendant could not give a satisfactory account of his actions.

Adeyanju said the defendant thereby pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Judge, Mr Hassan Mohammed, granted the defendant bail with one surety who must live within court’s jurisdiction and surety must write an undertaken to produce the defendant when needed.

Mohammed ordered that the address, National ID card or driver’s licence of the sureties must be verified by an officer of the court.

The Judge also ordered that a deposit of N50,000 must be paid as part of the bail condition, and adjourned the case until Dec. 14 for mention.