14th December, 2020
A 40-year-old man, Richard Chukwuma, was on Monday arraigned before an Ogudu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for failing to produce two suspects for whom he stood surety.
Chukwuma is facing a two-count charge of perverting justice and fraud for standing surety for one Adeola Adegboola and Henry Azubuike.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Magistrate, Mrs O.M. Ajayi, granted him bail in the sum of N500, 000 with one surety in like sum.
The magistrate said that Chukwuma must swear to an affidavit of means, own land within the court’s jurisdiction and have a verifiable address.
She also asked him to bring two recent passport photographs to the court.
The Prosecutor, ASP. Rita Momoh, had told the court that the defendant committed the offences on Sept. 21 at Ogudu Police Station in Ojota, Lagos.
Momoh said that Chukwuma conspired to commit felony with intent to pervert justice by standing surety for Adegboola and Azubuike with a recognisance bond to forfeit N1.5 million.
He added that Chukwuma by standing surety for the suspects, caused them to escape in a case of conspiracy, obtaining under false pretence and stealing the sum of N2.3 million.
According to him, the offences contravene Sections 97(1) and 325 the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The case was adjourned until Jan. 12 for hearing.