An Karmo Area Court, Abuja, on Wednesday discharged a 22-year-old applicant, Chimazie Okpara, accused of an Mp3 and techno tap 7 cell phone, valued at N55,000.
The Judge, Alhaji Inuwa Maiwada, discharged the defendant following an application by the prosecuting counsel, Mrs Ijeoma Ukagha who prayed the court to strike out the case because the parties had settled out of court.
“Having heard the prosecution’s application to strike out the case as a result of settlement reached by both parties in the matter, the case is hereby struck out,’’ he said.
Maiwada held that the complainant had also written for the voluntary withdrawal of the matter and did not want any further trouble with the defendant.
“The First Information Report (FIR) is hereby struck out and the defendant discharged, the defendant is also discharged of all criminal charges,’’ he explained.
He warned Okpara to desist from committing any criminal acts in future.
Okpara, who lives in Karmo Abuja, was charged with criminal trespass and phone theft on May 31 and was remanded in prison custody.
Ukagha said that the complainant had also written for the voluntary withdrawal of the matter and did not want any further trouble with the defendant.
She alleged that on May 18, the defendant dishonestly trespassed into one Ralwla Caleb room without her consent and made away with her Mp3 and techno tap 7 cell phone valued N55,000.
The prosecution said during police investigation the defendant confessed that one Mathias, now at large bought the stolen phone for N20, 000.
The offence, she said, contravened the provisions of sections 348 and 288 of the Penal Code.
