A businessman, Salisu Abdullahi, 45, was on Monday arraigned before a Dutse Magistrates’ Court in Abuja for allegedly cheating his client of N900,000.
The police charged Abdullahi, of Trailer Park, Dei-Dei, with criminal breach of trust and cheating.
The prosecution counsel, Juliana Atinko, told the court that the complainant, Uzairu Mikaila of Ilorin, Kwara, reported the matter at the ‘B’ Divisional Headquarters, Dei-Dei, on Sept. 1.
Atinko said Abdullahi was entrusted with N900,000 to convey gravel stones from Bani in Kwara to Ogele in Lagos but allegedly failed to deliver the goods or refund the money.
She said the defendant confessed during police investigation to converting the money for personal use but could not provide a satisfactory explanation.
Abdullahi pleaded not guilty to the charges.
His counsel, Titilayo Awojoba, applied for bail under Sections 158 and 162 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
Atinko said the offences contravened Sections 312 and 322 of the Penal Code Law.
The Magistrate, Umar Dodo, granted Abdullahi bail in the sum of N200,000 with two reliable sureties in like sum.
Dodo ordered that the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and provide valid means of identification.
He adjourned the case until Sept. 10 for hearing.
