Police dock 3 over alleged criminal conspiracy, theft

The Police on Friday arraigned three men before a Wuse Zone Six Magistrates’ Court in Abuja, for alleged criminal conspiracy and theft of N1,005,000.

Emmanuel Christopher, 18; Dominic David, 18 and Peter Ado, 19, all of no fixed address, are facing a two-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy and theft.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty.

The Prosecutor, Asp. Peter Ejike, told the court that the complainant, Chibuzo Okoye of Suit A5, Banex Plaza, Wuse 11, Abuja, reported the matter at the Maitama Police Station, Abuja, on Jan. 28.

Ejike said that the defendants criminally conspired within themselves and hacked into a Zenith Bank account 2087932245, belonging to Omo Patrick of Dutse-Abuja.

He said that the defendants bought one iPhone for N420,000, a laptop for N400,000, transferred N165, 000 to an unidentified Point of Sale account and collected a cash sum of N20,000.

Ejike told the court that, the total of N1,005,000 transactions made by the three defendants, was fraudulently done without the consent of the account owner.

He said during the police investigation that the trio admitted to committing the crime and that the iPhone was found in their possession.

According to Ejike, the offence contravenes the provisions of sections 97 and 287 of the Penal Code Law.

The Magistrate, Aminu Eri, admitted the defendants to N200,000 bail and one surety each in like sum.

Eri ordered that the sureties must reside within the jurisdiction of the court with a fixed and verifiable address.

He said the sureties must also deposit their recent passport photograph with a valid means of identification, which must be verified by the court registrar.

The Magistrate adjourned the case until March 9 for hearing.