A 27-year-old woman, Blessing Chuks was on Friday arraigned before Ogbeson Chief Magistrates’ Court in Benin, for allegedly stealing Itel W5504 phone from a female pastor.
The Police Prosecutor, Insp. Charity Asemota, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on Feb 15, at 2nd Obareware street, Off Upper Mission Road, Benin under Ogbeson Magisterial District of Edo.
Asemota alleged that the defendant did steal the Itel phone valued N58,000 which is a property of Rev. Jossy Ibhah.
The prosecutor said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap. 48 Vol. 11, Laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria, 1976, now applicable in Edo which prescribed seven years imprisonment, if found guilty.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge, adding that she picked the phone on the ground.
According to her, “I did not steal the phone but, I picked it up from the ground.”
The Chief Magistrate, Prince Mutairu Oare, however, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum, which must be responsible.
He then adjourned the case until June 9, for further hearing.
At the time of filling the report, the defendant has not perfected her bail application.
However, defendants/suspects are no longer admitted into correctional centres in order to curtail the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic which may lead to the defendant being taken to the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
