The police on Thursday arraigned a driver, Owoicho Chukwu, in Karu Grade 1 Area Court in Abuja, for allegedly attacking and stealing a passenger’s belongings.
The defendant, 31, who resides in Zuba, Abuja, was charged with criminal conspiracy, extortion, and theft.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against him.
The prosecution counsel, Ayotunde Adeyanju, told the court that the complainant (victim), who resides in Abacha Barracks, Asokoro, reported the matter at the Karu Police Station on January 5, 2024.
Ayotunde said that the complainant alleged that on January 4, she boarded a Volkswagen Golf taxi, with registration number KWL 414 CG, driven by the defendant from Abacha Road to AYA.
He said that on reaching Kugbo, the defendant stopped and picked two passengers, whom he conspired with, to forcefully attack the complainant with a knife and snatch her belongings.
He said that the belongings included one iPhone XX Max, valued at N250,000, cash of N5,000, and ATM card he used to withdraw the sum of N20,000, all amounting to N275,000.
He said the offence contravened sections 97(2), 292, and 287 of the Penal Code.
The judge, Aliyu Alhassan, however, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500,000 and two sureties, one of whom must be a religious leader. The case was adjourned until February 12 for hearing.
