Court adjourns ruling on bail application of robbery suspect to Dec 19

An FCT High Court, Gudu, will on December 19 rule on the bail application filed by 32-year-old armed robbery suspect, Ernest Usoro, who has been in detention for over a year without trial.

Justice Abubakar Talba fixed the date after listening to the arguments of the defence counsel, Mr Matthew Omini.

The prosecutor, Nkechi Isangadighe, did not oppose the bail application, but urged the court to grant the bail with stringent conditions.

The defendant, who was first arraigned on a two-count charge of criminal conspiracy and armed robbery on Aug. 15, 2016, pleaded not guilty.

The defence counsel said the case had suffered many adjournments, while his client remained in custody even though the former counsel had filed motion on notice for his bail.

Earlier, the prosecutor told the court that one Chinedu Okafor and four others reported the matter at Durumi Police Station on April 19, 2016.

Isangadighe said the complainants alleged that a group of five robbers invaded their compound in Durumi, Abuja, damaged their burglary proof and stole some items.

She said that N60,000 cash, a Samsung plasma television, an android phone, Nokia phone as well as GTB, Unity and Access banks ATM cards were among the stolen items.

She said the total value of the stolen items was estimated at N162,000.

The prosecutor alleged that the other four suspects were still at large.

The prosecutor said that police operatives arrested the defendant while trying to sell one of the stolen items.

The prosecutor said the offences contravened sections 97 and 298 of the Penal Code. ( NAN)