Motorcyclist docked over alleged criminal breach of trust

Motorcyclist
By Joy Kaka
Abuja, March 9, 2020 (NAN) The police, on Monday, arraigned a 25-year-old motorcyclist, Jibrin Babalae, at a Grade I Area Court in Kubwa, Abuja, for allegedly selling a motorcycle received from one Lawal Halima on hired purchase.
Babalae, of Kubwa, Abuja, is charged with criminal breach of trust and cheating.
The Prosecutor, John Okpa, told the court that the complainant reported the matter at Kubwa police station on March 2.
He said that Halima entrusted her Bajaj motorcycle to the defendant on hired purchase sometime in July 2019, at the cost of N345,000.
Okpa alleged that the defendant only remitted N40,000 to the complainant, fraudulently sold the motorcycle without her consent and converted the money to his personal use.
He said that the offence contravened Sections 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.
The Defence Counsel, Taiye Okoya, made a bail application for his client, assuring the court that a reasonable surety would be provided, if granted bail.
The prosecution counsel, however, opposed the bail application, saying that the offence had been reoccurring lately.
He further said that the address of the defendant was not clearly stated in the first information report and should be verified.
The Judge, Mr Muhammad Adamu, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N400,000, with one reasonable surety, who must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.
He, thereafter, adjourned the case till April 23, for hearing. (NAN)
JK/GOM/WAS
Edited by Gregg Mmaduakolam and ‘Wale Sadeeq