A 20-year-old technician, Aliuwa Mathew was docked in a Chief Magistrates’ Court in Wuse, Abuja on Thursday for allegedly swindling his customers of two iPhones.
The Prosecution Counsel, Festus Ajayi told the court that the complainants, Mr Anderson Victor and Onila Callistus both of Banex Plaza Wuse II, Abuja, reported the matter at the Maitama Police Station on May 20.
Ajayi alleged that the complainants entrusted the defendant with an iPhone 14 Pro 256GB and an iPhone 16 Pro 128GB all worth N1.5 million to sell for them.
He further alleged that the defendant sold the iPhone 16 for ₦600,000 and sold the second phone to an unknown person and dishonestly converted all the money to his personal use.
The prosecution counsel added that during police investigation, the defendant confessed that he used the money for sports betting on ” Betnaija”.
The offence, he said, contravened sections 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.
The defendant however pleaded not guilty.
The Defence Counsel , Kate Nwaigbo applied for bail of her client, pending the determination of the case citing Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended).
Nwaigbo urged the court to exercise its discretion in favour of the defendant adding that he was presumed innocent until proven otherwise.
Magistrate Ekpeyong Inyang admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N1 million bail with one reliable surety who must be a civil servant.
Inyang added that the surety must provide means of identification from his organization and ordered the Registrar of the court to verify such information.
He adjourned the matter until July 1 for hearing. (NAN)
