The police on Wednesday arraigned a couple, Raymond and Christina James, before a Kaduna State Chief Magistrate’s Court for allegedly defrauding an accommodation seeker of N540,000.
The defendants, who are residents of Barnawa, Kaduna, were arraigned on three counts bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretences, and stealing, preferred against them by the police.
The prosecutor, Inspector Leo Chidi, informed the court that the alleged offences occurred on November 12, 2024, at Narayi High Cost, Kaduna.
Leo told the court that the couple collected the sum of N540,000, from one Esther Francis under the false promise of renting her a two-bedroom apartment in the same area.
He told the court that the couple deliberately defrauded Francis but failed to deliver the apartment as agreed.
The prosecutor said the offences committed contravened the Penal Code Law of Kaduna State, 2017.
However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.
Consequently, Magistrate Ibrahim Emmanuel granted the defendants bail of N100,000 each, with a surety each in like sum.
He ordered that the sureties must be employed and provide evidence of tax payments to the Kaduna State Government.
Emmanuel adjourned the case to December 18, 2024, for a hearing.