A 25-year-old herder, Rabiu Lawal, on Wednesday appeared in a Life Camp Magistrates’ Court over alleged criminal breach of trust and cheating.
The police charged Lawal who resides in Anguwan Cement Village, Life Camp Abuja, with two counts of criminal breach of trust and cheating.
The Police Prosecutor, ASP Peter Ejike, of the FCT Command, Abuja, told the court that one Seun Jegede of Anguwan Cement village, FCT Abuja, reported the matter in the Life Camp Police Station, on Aug.19.
The prosecutor alleged that in August 2019, the complainant entered into an agreement with the defendant who is a herder, to rear two calves for him for N60, 000.
Ejike alleged that the complainant paid for the services but some months later, he realised that the defendant had stopped taking the cattle’s for grazing.
The prosecutor told the court that the complainant made further inquiry about the cattle and specifically his calves, but discovered the defendant does not have any more cattle left with him.
He said all effort made by the complainant to get a refund or his calves back from the defendant proved failed.
The prosecutor said the offence contravened the provisions of sections 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.
The defendant however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Chief Magistrate, Celestine Odo, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N50, 000 bail with one surety in like sum.
Odo ordered that the surety be reside within the jurisdiction of the court and should deposit a valid means of identification which must be verified by the court registrar.
He adjourned the matter until Sept. 15, for hearing.
