Ebonyi state police command has arrested and arraigned two lovers identified as Uchenna Elom and Chinaza Ituma for alleged stealing and conspiracy.
The couple were arraigned on Tuesday in Abakaliki Magistrates’ Court with charges of stealing and conspiracy.
According to Punchng, the police prosecutor, Inspector Mbam Chinedu, told the court that the accused persons committed the offences at the United Bank for Africa Plc’s branch in Abakaliki on September 28 and 30, 2019.
Elom was said to have picked a lost Automated Teller Machine card and used same to withdraw N500,000 and thereafter gave it to Chinaza, who withdrew N1m from the card owner’s account
The card owner,Goodwin who had misplaced his ATM card and forgotten to block it,did not receive alert from his bank, while the illegal withdrawals lasted.
These withdrawals continued until he complained to his bank , which alerted the police.
The accused, who were said to have been cohabiting for over five years and have three children together, allegedly used the money to acquire a car, a fridge and other properties.
According to Chinedu, the offences are punishable under sections 516A (a) and 390 (9) of the Criminal Code, Cap 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
The charges read, “That you, Uchenna Elom, 34, Chinaza Ituma, and others at large, on September 28 and 30, 2019, at the UBA, Abakaliki, in the Abakaliki Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit; stealing, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 516A (a) of the Criminal Code, Cap 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
“That you Uchenna Elom, Chinaza Ituma and others now at large, on the same date, place and in the aforesaid magisterial district, did steal the sum of N1.5m, property of one Odechi Godwin, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 390 (9) of the Criminal Code, Cap 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.”
Chief Magistrate Ngozi Ngele granted the accused bail of 500,000 each because they had little children, who were not being looked after by anyone.
Ngele adjourned the case till November 11, 2019, for hearing.
