A 45-year-old truck driver, Caleb Inuwa, was arraigned on Thursday before a Kaduna Magistrates’ Court for allegedly conspiring with others still at large to steal 250 bags of cement.
Inuwa, who resides at Kabala Doki, Kaduna, was charged with a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing, to which he pleaded not guilty.
The Prosecutor, Insp Chidi Leo, told the court that Raymond Elisha of Independence Way, Kaduna, reported the matter at Gabasawa Police Station, Kaduna on April 6.
According to Leo, the defendant conspired with three others to steal and sell the 260 bags of cement, value yet unknown.
He said the defendant, attached to Ray Height Logistics Company in Kaduna, was tasked to transport 260 bags of cement from Kaduna to Abuja on April 4.
The prosecutor said instead of delivering the bags of cement to the customer, the defendant sold it and diverted the money to his personal use.
“After committing the offence, the defendant ran to an unknown destination until he was arrested in Kogi State on May 5.
“The offences contravene sections 58 and 217 of the Penal Code of Kaduna State, 2017,” he said.
Section 58 prescribes three years imprisonment for conspiracy, while Section 217 stipulates a five-year jail term for stealing.
The Magistrate, Ibrahim Emmanuel, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.
Emmanuel said that the sureties must produce evidence of three years’ tax payment to the Kaduna State Government.
He also said that the sureties must produce genuine means of livelihood, be residents of Kaduna State, and should have their addresses verified by the court’s prosecutor.
Emmanuel adjourned the matter till June 18 for hearing.
(NAN)
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