Police arraign security guards over alleged negligent conduct

Franklin Felix, Isaac Moses, and Amos Emmanuel, three security guards, were charged by the police on Monday with negligence before a Dei-Dei Grade I Area Court in Abuja.

The defendants, Felix, 32; Moses, 25; and Emmanuel, 32, all natives of Niger, were accused of committing a joint act and engaging in careless behaviour, both of which they vehemently denied.

Prior to that, Chinedu Ogada, the prosecution’s attorney, informed the court that the complainant, Obiakeme Jessica, of Gwarinpa, Abuja, had filed a report about the incident at the Dawaki Police Station on January 27.

According to Ogada, the defendants worked as security guards for Regent Service in Abuja’s Katampe Extension to watch over and secure the business’s property.

He said that between Jan. 25 and Jan. 26, while the defendants were on duty, unknown persons gained access to the apartment.

The prosecution counsel further stated that the unknown persons made away with a 70-inch and a 45-inch Hisense plasma television sets (value yet unknown), kept under the defendants’ watch.

He said that during police investigation, it was discovered that the defendants were sleeping on duty while the persons gained access to the apartment.

Ogada said that the defendants could not give satisfactory accounts of the missing items.

According to him, the offences contravene the provisions of Sections 79 and 196 of the Penal Code.

The Judge, Saminu Suleiman, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N100,000 each, with a surety each in like sum.

He said that the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.

Sulieman, thereafter, adjourned the case till Feb. 7 for mention. (NAN)