Demolition: Police arraign landlord for refusing to refund tenant

A landlord, Joseph Siewe, on Monday, appeared before a Kado area court, Abuja, for refusing to refund his tenant`s rent after the property was demolished. The defendant, who resides in Lapadoma area of Jahi 1, Abuja, was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and cheating. The prosecutor, Ferdinand Orji, told […]

A landlord, Joseph Siewe, on Monday, appeared before a Kado area court, Abuja, for refusing to refund his tenant`s rent after the property was demolished.

The defendant, who resides in Lapadoma area of Jahi 1, Abuja, was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and cheating.

The prosecutor, Ferdinand Orji, told the court that the complainant, Somuvie Oghenetega, of Sunnyvale Estate, Abuja, paid the defendant N350,000 for a one-year rent on May 15.

The prosecutor said that a month later, the rented property was demolished by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and that the complainant asked for a refund of her money after discovering that the defendant knew that the property was marked for demolition and still collected the rent from her.

Orji said the offences contravened Sections 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.

The defendant pleaded not guilty.

The Judge, Mohammed Wakili, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N300,000 and a surety in like sumand adjourned to October4. (NAN)