A 45-year-old mechanic, Musa Barou, was on Wednesday docked in a Chief Magistrates’ Court in Wuse, Abuja allegedly cheating a businessman of N1.1million.
The Police charged Barou with criminal breach of trust and cheating.
The Prosecution Counsel, , Festus Ajayi told the court that the complainant, Alhaji Bashir Muhammad, reported the matter at the Maitama Police Station on April 16.
Ajayi alleged that the complainant, entrusted the defendant with his BMW for repairs with ₦1.1 million deposit which was paid into his UBA account sometime in 2025.
He further alleged that the defendant collected the money but refused to repair the vehicle and converted the money to his personal use.
The prosecution said that the defendant refused to pick the complainant’s phone calls until on April 27 when he was arrested.
The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of sections 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.
The defendant however pleaded not guilty .
The defence counsel, Enagonimi Ekpede made a bail application for the defendant citing sections 36(5) of the 1999 constitution and 158 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
Ekpede said that the defendant would provide a reliable surety if bail is granted adding that bail was at the court’s discretion and urged it to exercise same in favour of the defendant.
Magistrate Ekpeyong Inyang admitted the defendant bail in the sum of N1 million with one reasonable and reliable surety resident within the court’s jurisdiction.
He ordered that the surety must depose to an affidavit of means of livelihood and his address should be verified by the court’s registrar.
The magistrate adjourned the matter until July 1 for hearing. (NAN)
