Landlady in court for locking up tenants

A Landlady, Victoria Okoronkwo, 50, on Tuesday appeared in a Gudu Upper Area Court in the FCT, for locking her tenants in and preventing them from going out.

She is charged with wrongful restrain and inciting disturbance.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Ambi Ayuba, told the court that Ms Ngozi Nwabugwu of Plot 279, Durumi, Abuja, and two others reported

the matter at the Durumi Police Station on Feb. 9.

He said that the accused wrongfully restrained their movement by locking the gate of their rented apartment.

He said that the accused deprived the complainants from going into the house and from leaving the compound.

Ayuba said that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 254 and punishable under Section 114 of the Penal Code.

If convicted, she is liable to two years in prison or with an option to pay a fine or with both.

However, after the charges were read to the accused, she pleaded not guilty.

The presiding Judge, Abdullahi Abdulkareem, admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N50, 000 with a surety in like sum who must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court.

Abdulkareem adjourned the case to March 11 for continuation of hearing. (NAN)