A 40-year-old man, Ikechukwu Onuoha, on Wednesday appeared before a Senior Magistrates’ Court, Mararaba-Gurku, over allegations of criminal breach of trust, cheating, and theft involving a N145,000 loan.
Onuoha, of Rugan Madaki, was charged with criminal breach of trust and cheating.
He, however, pleaded that he did not have the money to pay.
The prosecutor, Insp Hussani Abdulsalam, told the court that the complainant Chukwuemeka Okeke of Rugan Madaki reported the matter at Vintage Police Station, Mararaba.
Abdulsalam said that Onuoha, on Jan. 29, allegedly approached the complainant and deceived him into using his OPay account to collect a loan of N145, 000.
He also alleged that Onuoha promised to repay the sum of N201, 638 within two months.
“Since then, the accused only paid the sum of N10, 000 and refused to pay the remaining money.
“The interest on the money is increasing every day as the loan app keeps sending messages of reminders to him,” the prosecutor said.
He said that the offence contravened the provisions of Sections 312, 320 and 287, which covers criminal breach of trust, cheating, and theft under the Penal Code as applicable in Nasarawa State.
The Judge, Joy Faruk, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N200, 000 and a surety in like sum, with a security payment of 50 per cent.
Faruk adjourned the matter until June 1, for hearing if the defendant fails to pay the money.
