A 34-year-old engineer, Mr. Chuks Ofodile is currently standing trial before a magistrate court sitting in Enugu for allegedly defrauding one of his relatives.
Ofodile, who works at Humtech Engineering Company, pleaded not guilty to the one-count charge preferred against him by the prosecuting police counsel, Mr. Cajethan Ugwu.
The prosecutor had told the court that the Engineer, using his bank account, under false pretense, defrauded Chief Aloysius Agada on the promise to secure building permit for him from the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, which promise later turned out to be false.
In the suit No MEN/598/C/2014, he stated that the accused person thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 386 of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria.
At the resumed hearing of the matter before His Worship Rose Obayi, the accused person was absent in the court, prompting the prosecutor to seek a bench warrant against him.
While expressing surprise over the absence of the accused person, the prosecutor said, “the accused person cannot say that he is not aware of today’s date; he ought to be here to answer for his case.
“Since he has failed in that duty, we are applying for a bench warrant against him”.
However, the Magistrate declined the application for a bench warrant.
The court held that owing to the prolonged judiciary workers’ strike, the accused person may be unaware that the court had resumed sitting.
Obayi adjourned the matter to March 12 for continuation of hearing.
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