The Police on Monday arraigned a 46-year-old mechanic, Ismaila Shehu, in whose pocket an allegedly stolen phone rang when its owner dialed it on discovering it was missing.

Shehu who resides at Aso B Mararaba, Nasarawa State is facing a two-count charge of criminal conspiracy and theft at a Mararaba Grade 1 Area Court, Aso Pada.

The Prosecutor, Agabi Auta, told the court that the matter was reported at the Aso Police Station by one Muniru Mohammed of Aso Pada, Mararaba on Aug. 11.

Auta said that the defendant and one Adamu Musa, now at large, on the same date at about 10:00 a.m., came to the complainant’s shop located at Mararaba to charge a phone.

He said that the defendant gave his phone to the complainant to charge, while also conspiring with Adamu to steal the complainant’s phone valued at N64,000, which was also being charged.

The prosecutor said that the complainant noticed his phone was missing as the defendant was about leaving, and immediately used another customer’s phone to dial his number.

He said that the complainant’s phone rang from the defendant’s pocket.

Auta said that the defendant was handed over to the police while Adamu escaped.

According to him, the offence contravened Sections 289 and 97 of the Penal Code.

The defendant denied committing the offence and the Judge, Mr Albert Maga, granted him N100,000 bail and one surety in like sum.

He said the surety must be resident of the court’s jurisdiction, and must submit two recent passport photographs, a National Identity Card or a driver’s licence.

The Judge also said the surety must write an undertaking that the defendant would be of good behaviour throughout the period of his trial.

Maga adjourned the case till Aug. 31 for hearing. (NAN)

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