Police in Enugu, on Thursday, arraigned one Moses Chikereze before an Enugu East Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing four drums of engine oil valued at N1.3 million.
The engine oil was said to belong to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC).
Chikereze was arraigned on a one-count charge bordering on stealing. Chikereze pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Mr Ruben Ihejiobi, told the court that the defendant and others now at large had on December 8, 2022, at EEDC Sub Station, Thinkers Corner, Enugu, stole four drums of Engine oil valued at N340,000 each, totalling N1,360,000.
Ihejiobi said the offence contravened Section 353, CAP 30, Vol 2 of Revised Criminal Law of Enugu State, 2004.
But Counsel to the defendant, Mr J.O. Eni, urged the court to grant his client bail because the offence was bailable.
“My Lord, we have a reliable surety who can take him on bail; he is a pensioner and has a blood relation to the defendant,” Eni told the court.
The Magistrate, Mrs Jane Ajah, turned down Eni’s request but asked Eni to take his client on bail.
Ajah adjourned the matter until March 7 for a hearing.