Abuja landlord charged with criminal breach of trust after converting his house into a church

ABUJA landlord Sunday Agbo has been charged with a criminal breach of trust and arraigned before an Abuja magistrates court after he converting part of a property he rented out to a church without authorisation.

Mr Agbo, 42, was arraigned before the Wuse Zone Six Chief Magistrates’ Court, Abuja, yesterday on a three-count bordering on criminal breach of trust and cheating. Prosecutor, Fidelis Ogbobe, told the court that one Bako Abubakar of the same address, Plot 692, Durumi District, Abuja, reported the matter to the Durumi Police Station on April 13.

According to the prosecution, Mr Abubakar said that he paid the defendant N1m to rent his apartment and part of the agreement he reached with the defendant was that he would live peacefully in the property with his family. Mr Ogbobe said that as soon as the defendant moved in, Mr Agbo converted part of the property to a church, contrary to the agreement they entered into.

Also, the defendant allegedly ordered his security guard to lock the defendant and his family out of the property. Mr Ogbobe said that the offences contravened the provisions of Sections 312, 322 and 256 of the Penal Code.

Mr Agbo, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and the magistrate, Abdulmajid Oniyangi, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N250, 000 with two sureties in like sum. Magistrate Oniyangi adjourned the case until September 3, for hearing.