A Lebanese, Mr Antoine Alromi, 46 and three others, were on Friday arraigned before an Abakaliki Magistrate Court, Ebonyi for alleged theft of public property.
The other accused persons are: Messrs Amaechi Offia, 25, Malachi Ogbodo, 39 and Friday Ndukwu, 42.
The Police Prosecutor, DSP Kenneth Adokeme, told the court that the accused persons were docked on a four-count charge of stealing, selling and purchase of three transformers belonging to Lana Construction Ltd, manager of the state water scheme.
He said that in July 2017, the accused and others at large, conspired among themselves to commit felony to wit steal.
The prosecutor said the offences were punishable under section 516 A (a) of the Criminal Code Cap 33, Vol.1, Laws of Ebonyi 2009.
Adokeme said that Alromi and Offia allegedly stole three 1.5KVA transformers valued at N7 million and sold them to Ogbodo and Ndukwu.
The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Counsel to the second, third and fourth defendants, Mr Gabriel Onyibe, applied for bail on behalf of his clients.
“The offences in which they are being tried are bailable and my clients seek to avail themselves of such fundamental rights,” he said.
The Presiding Magistrate, Olughu Nnachi granted the first and second accused persons N10 million bail with two sureties in like sum.
“The third and fourth accused persons are also granted bail to the tune of N5 million each and also two sureties in like sum.
The magistrate said that the sureties to the first and second accused persons must be resident in Abakaliki magisterial district and must be civil servants on grade level 15 and above.
“The sureties to the third and second accused persons must also be resident in the Abakaliki magisterial district and must be civil servants on grade level 10 and above,” he ruled.
Nnachi ordered that the first accused person must submit his international passport to the court and adjourned the case till Nov.27 for hearing.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Ebonyi Police Command had earlier on Friday, confirmed that the Lebanese had committed several fraud related cases in the state.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) ASP Loveth Odah, told newsmen that the suspect allegedly defrauded many unsuspecting citizens by issuing dud-cheques to them.
“The suspect was arrested at Ishieke through the combined efforts of the police and his victims who reported that he swindled them to the tune of N2.8 million,” she said. (NAN)
