News Investigators/ An Upper Area Court in Zuba, on Thursday, ordered that a 22-year-old cook, Murtala Mohammed who allegedly cheated a mobile money operator of N175,500, be remanded in a correctional facility.
The defendant, residing in Dei-Dei, Abuja is facing charge bordering on criminal conspiracy and cheating.
The prosecutor, Chinedu Ogada, told the court that the complainant, Ahmed Abdulsalam, reported the matter at Divisional Police Headquarters, Gwagwa on Dec. 26.
Mr. Ogada said that a customer visited the complainant’s Point of Sale (P.O.S) shop for a money transfer transaction of N198,000 on Dec. 24.
He further said the defendant, who was assisting the complainant in his shop, collected the said sum, counted it and confirmed to the complainant that it was complete.
The prosecution counsel said the defendant, after counting the money, told the complainant to proceed with the transaction, which he did.
“Minutes later, when the complainant requested for N8,000 from the defendant to attend to another customer, the defendant claimed that the sum he earlier confirmed as complete was not,’’ Mr. Ogada said.
He said the defendant handed over N22,500 only to the complainant.
According to him, the offence contravened the provisions of sections 97 and 322 of the Penal Code.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty.
The Judge, Gambo Garba, ordered that the defendant be remanded in a correctional facility and adjourned the case until March 10 for hearing.
