A 23-year-old man, Chukwuma Asor, facing charges of stealing two children, one of who was later rescued, has been arraigned in an Enugu Magistrates’ Court.
The accused, a native of Osumenyi town in the Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra, was alleged to have stolen a five-year-old boy.
The Prosecutor, Mr. Charles Nwodo, told the court that the matter was reported at the Emene Police Station on August 12, 2013.
Nwodo said that it was discovered that the accused stole two children, one of whom was later found, while the other was still missing.
In her testimony, the mother of the missing child, Mrs. Ifeoma Ugwu, told the court that he accused was her neighbour at Emene, near Enugu, and had before the disappearance of her son repeatedly threatened to deal with her.
Ugwu alleged that two days after her missing child was stolen, Asor furnished his room and bought a generator, bed and other home appliances which he never had since he moved into the compound.
The prosecutor told the court that the offences of conspiracy and child theft which the accused was charged with were punishable under Sections 495(a) and 321 of the Criminal Code Law of Enugu State, 2004.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.
His Counsel, Mr. S.I. Chime, pleaded with the court to grant him bail, saying that he had a surety who could stand for the accused.
The Magistrate, Mrs. Martha Onuoha, granted Asor bail in the sum of one million naira with one surety in like sum.
Onuoha ordered that the surety must be a public servant on salary grade level 14 or above and must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.
She also directed that the surety must be brought to the court to be assessed and approved.
Onuoha adjourned the case to April 7.
