Police arraign businessman charged with breach of trust, cheating

The police yesterday arraigned a businessman, Ikechukwu Okafor, 40, in a Mararaba Chief Magistrates’ Court, for criminal breach of trust and cheating. The prosecutor, Joseph Ahua, told the court that Christopher Nwo of Chris Park, Mararaba, Nasarawa State, reported the matter at the `A’ Division Police Station, Nasarawa State, on Feb. 10.

Ahua said that sometime in March 2013, Nwo entrusted his shop, located at Chris Park, Mararaba, Nasarawa State, in the care of the accused but the accused rented it out without his consent.

He said that after renting the shop out, Okafor collected the money and diverted it to his personal use instead of remitting it to the complainant.
The prosecutor said the accused rented the shop to one Arinze Okey at N350,000 per annum.
After the charges were read to him, he accused pleaded not guilty.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr Habila Abundaga, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.
He ordered that one of the sureties must be a civil servant not below Grade Level 8 and must be certified by a director of personnel.
The magistrate also ordered that the surety must produce pay slips and statements of bank account for three months as he adjourned the case to Feb. 24 for further hearing. (NAN)