15 Year-old In Court For Stealing 280 Fowls

A 15-year old boy was on Monday charged  to an Upper Area Court sitting in Mararaba, Nasarawa State for stealing 280 fowls.

Mr Aligwiwade Paul had on Oct. 3, 2012, approached the Nasarawa Senior Magistrate’s Court over the alleged theft of his 280 birds valued at N336, 000 by the accused.

He said that each of the stolen fowl by the accused was valued at N1, 200.

Paul, a 62-year old mason lives at Aso `B’, Mararaba, with the accused.

Paul told court that on Sept. 22, 2012, the accused stole his 280 fowls out of 550 fowls he had in his poultry farm.

He said that he reported the matter to Calvary Police Station in Aso on the same day.

According to him, the police arrested the accused and he promised to pay N10, 000 each week to the complainant until he finished paying for the value of the chickens.

However, after paying the N10, 000 in othe first week he defaulted in the subsequent weeks.

Paul told court that the case was initially taken to Senior Magistrate’s Court in Mararaba.

He said that the counsel to the accused prayed that the case be moved to Upper Area Court sitting in Mararaba citing lack of confidence in the presiding judge.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge of theft.

Counsel to the accused, Mr lebechi Anayo prayed the court to set his client free saying the complainant had no evidence to proof his case.

Mr Alihassan Sabo, counsel to the complainant, told court that he would want the matter to be adjourned to another date as the IPO handling the case was absent in the court.

Sabo pleaded court to summon the IPO handling the case to appear before the court for testimony.

The presiding officer, Mr Vincent Gwamba, ordered that the IPO handling the case should be summoned to appear in court for the next hearing.

He then adjourned the case to March 7.  [NAN]