 News Investigators/ A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Wuse, Abuja, has remanded a 30-year-old man, Bashir Namadi in prison for allegedly defrauding one Mrs Mansurat Shehu of N13.5million for a non-existent contract.
The Magistrate, Farida Ibrahim, however ordered the defence counsel, Joshua Iteshi to make a formal bail application and adjourned the case until July 30, pending the hearing of the application.
The police charged the defendant with Criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, cheating and forgery.
The defendant however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Earlier, The Prosecuting Counsel, Fidelis Ogbobe alleged that the complainant, petitioned the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command against the defendant on Feb 25.
Ogbobe said that the defendant conspired with one Hamisu Gambo, now at large, and presented himself as a facilitator to procure contracts from Federal Ministry of Power, Abuja, for the complainant, in May 2021.
He said that the defendant obtained N13.5million from the complainant under false pretence that the contract was genuine but failed to deliver any contract to her.
The prosecution counsel said that the defendant converted the money to his personal use and could not give satisfactory account of it.
Meanwhile the defence counsel had applied for the bail of the defendant relying on Section 36(5) of the 1999 constitution which presumes him innocent until proven otherwise.
He urged the court to grant the bail saying that the defendant did not have any criminal record and would be available for his trial.
The prosecution however opposed the application saying that the defendant was a flight risk.
According to him, the defendant jumped police bail and his surety was arrested before he was found and rearrested on July 5.
But the defence counsel in response said that there was no evidence before the court to prove it.
NAN
