Abuja – A Lugbe Magistrates’ Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, discharged and acquitted, a 23-year-old salesman , Shallom Yusuf, accused of criminally converting N490,300 proceeds from Abuja Electricity Distribution Company’s (AEDC) token sales.
The magistrate, Mr Samuel Idhiarhi, discharged and acquitted the defendant due to the prosecuting counsel’s inability to prove her case beyond reasonable doubt.
Idhiarhi in his judgment, said that the prosecutor failed to prove that the defendant did not remit the said amount into the account of AEDC.
“Having considered the totality of the evidence before the court, the prosecution has failed to prove that the defendant short remitted proceeds from sale of AEDC tokens.
“I hereby discharge and acquit the defendant of criminal breach of trust by a servant,’’ the magistrate ruled.
Yusuf, of Tudun Wada village, Lugbe, FCT was arraigned on a count charge of criminal breach of trust.
Prosecutor Vivian Oponmor, had earlier told the court that one Mrs Ozoene Peace, reported the matter at the Lugbe Police Station on Nov. 15, 2018.
Oponmor alleged that the defendant, who was employed by the complainant to vend AEDC token, between March and April 15, 2018, converted N 490,300, the proceeds of sale to his personal use.
She said that during police investigation, the defendant could not give satisfactory account of the missing money.
The prosecution said that the offence contravened the provisions of Sections 314 of the Penal Code.
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