Court remands painter over alleged extortion

A Chief Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, remanded a 32-year-old painter, Thomas James, in a correctional center for alleged extortion.

James, a resident of Sabon Tasha Kaduna, is standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and extortion, to which he pleaded not guilty.

The Magistrate, Ibrahim Emmanuel, refused to grant bail to James, and ordered that he be remanded in a correctional center.

Emmanuel adjourned the case until Sept. 15, for ruling on the bail application.

Earlier the prosecutor, Insp. Chidi Leo, told the court that one John Daniel, reported the matter at the Sabon Tasha Police Station, Kaduna, on Tuesday.

Leo said that on Monday, at about 11:00  p.m. while the complainant was returning from work, the defendant stopped him and forcefully collected his wallet, a Tecno cell phone and N15,000 in cash.

“While the defendant was trying to escape, he was arrested by a police officer, Cpl. Godwin Barry, attached to the Gabasawa Divisional Headquarters, Kaduna.

“During police investigation, another Nokia phone, suspected to be stolen, was found on the defendant,” Leo told the court.

The prosecutor said the offences contravened the provisions of sections 97 and 292 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017.

If convicted, he is liable to three years in prison, an option to pay fine, or both.