The Ebonyi State Police Command on Wednesday arraigned a 52-year-old lawyer, Onu Onwe, and one Nshe Monday, for the alleged theft of N5m belonging to one Igwe Nwokpata.

Our correspondent gathered that Onwe had been a lawyer for the complainant for over 13 years and sold Nwokpata’s piece of land for N29m, but gave him N24m.

Trouble started when the lawyer asked the complainant to sign the power of attorney.

It was learnt that the complainant refused to sign the document and the lawyer allegedly forged his signature into the document.

That the defendants committed the offence on Nna Street, Abakaliki, in the Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State on October 25, 2018.

They were arraigned before the magistrate’s court on three counts of felony, stealing and conspiracy.

According to the police prosecutor, ASP Mathias Eze, the offences are punishable under sections 516A (a), 309 (9) and 467(2)(d) of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.

The charge read in part, “That you, Onu John Onwe, Nshe Monday, and others now at large, on the same date and place in the aforementioned magisterial district, did steal the sum of N5m, property of Igwe Dennis Nwokpata, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code

Cap.33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2018.”

The defendants, through their counsel asked for bail in liberal terms.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Nnenna Onuoha, granted the accused persons bail in the sum of N200,000 each with two sureties in like sum.

The case was adjourned till April 14 for hearing.

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