The police on Tuesday, dragged a 28-year-old trader, Aliyu Sa’ad before a Life Camp Chief Magistrates’ Court in Abuja, for allegedly receiving stolen property.
Sa’ad, a dealer in fairly used items, who reside at Gidan-Bila Abuja, is standing trial on charges bordering on receiving stolen property.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecutor, Charity Nwachukwu, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on April 27.
She alleged that a complainant, one Mr Abeng David , a Chief Security Officer (CSO) at Bali Bilad Estate Abuja, reported the matter at the Life Camp Police Station.
She told the court that the complainant had caught one Kabiru Danjuma with stolen solar panels while on security duty, adding that Danjuma eventually confessed to have previously stolen some solar panels.
According to the prosecutor, Danjuma also confessed that he sold the stolen items to the defendant who allegedly received them knowing same to be stolen property.
She alleged that each stolen panel is worth N80,000, adding that the solar panels the defendant dishonesty received from Danjuma is worth N400,000.
According to her, during investigation and interrogation, the defendant made a confessional statement to the police.
The prosecutor said that all efforts to recover the stolen panels proved abortive.
The offence contravenes the provisions of Section 317 of the Penal Code.
The Chief Magistrate Mr Musa Jobbo, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500,000 with one surety in like sum.
The court ordered that the surety must reside within the court’s jurisdiction,
He adjourned the case to June 25, for hearing. (NAN)
