ABUJA – A 33-year-old Chef, Patra Onojah on Friday, appeared before a Life Camp Chief Magistrates’ Court in Abuja, for allegedly stealing his employer’s food items valued N92,000.
The police charged Onojah who resides at the Karmo area of Abuja, on a two-count charge of stealing and criminal intimidation.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The prosecutor, Mrs Charity Nwachukwu, told the court that a complainant one Mrs Gift Obioma, who lives at first Ave. in Gwarinpa, Abuja, reported the matter at the Jabi Police Station on May 21.
She alleged that sometime in February (this year) the complainant employed the defendant as a chef in her Garden at Fisherman village in Abuja.
She said that the defendant suddenly stopped coming to work without permission since May 19.
According to her, when the complainant took stock of her food items in her fridge, she discovered that the defendant had made away with food stuffs worth N92,000.
The prosecutor, said that the items were taken without her consent, and she is claiming the sum of N55,000 as damages fmm against the defendant.
Nwachukw, told the court that the defendant was granted administrative bail at the police station, but that she went further to threaten the complainant through text messages, followed by insults.
She alleged that during police investigations, the defendant could not give a satisfactory account of her actions .
The offences contravenes the provisions of Sections 397 and 289 of the Penal Code.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr Musa Jobbo, granted the defendant bail in sum of N200,000, with one surety in like sum.
He said the surety must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.
He adjourned the case until July 30, for hearing. (NAN)
