A 48-year-old businessman, Adewole Joshua, was on Tuesday arraigned in a Chief Magistrates’ Court, Wuse, Abuja, for allegedly cheating one Chukwuma Nwachukwu of N1.7 million to deliver copies of Nigeria Weekly Law Reports (NWLR).

The police charged the defendant with criminal breach of trust and cheating.

The prosecuting counsel, Samuel Emmanuel alleged that the complainant, Mr Nwachukwu entrusted the defendant with N4,050,000 for the supply of 1,000 copies of NWLR within 48 hours on May 9 and 10.

Mr Emmanuel said that the defendant supplied 550 copies and refused to supply the remaining 450 copies valued at N1.7 million.

He said the offence contravened the provisions of section 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty.

The defence counsel, Akinyemi Oluwafemi, made a bail application citing sections 162 and 158 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), adding that the defendant had been on police bail and did not jump it.

Oluwafemi however urged the court to grant it saying a reasonable surety would be provided if granted.

The Magistrate, Chioma Amanwachi granted the defendant N2 million bail with two sureties who must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.

Ms Amanwachi ordered that one of the sureties must be a civil servant of Grade level 8 and the other, a reasonable and reliable one.

She adjourned the matter until November 10 for trial.

(NAN)