By Caleb Ayansina

An Abuja Magistrate Court has remanded a health practitioner in Keffi Prison for fraudulently collecting products worth N108, 500 from a pharmaceutical company without payment.

Ipuole Cornilus, a manager of Jethro Pharmacy, Wuse 11, Abuja, was also alleged to have issued a dud cheque to pay off the money to the complainant, one Steve Ozioko of New Health Pharmacy Ltd Wuse 11, Abuja.

Police Prosecutor, Emmanuel Adikwu, told the court that the complainant reported the accused at the Maitama Police Station that he fraudulently induced his manager, Izuchukwu Lawrence, and collected Drugs worth N108, 500 on behalf of his (accused) company.

“That you are buying the products on behalf of Jethro Pharmacy but instead you diverted the products to yourself and issued an Access Bank Cheque to New Health Pharmacy Ltd containing N108, 500, knowing fully that there is no money in the account and after presenting the cheque in the bank it bounced”, the prosecutor submitted.

According to him, the action of the accused is criminal in nature and it contravenes section 322 of the penal code law.

When the case came up for trial, the accused pleaded not guilty and Adikwu argued that the police have not concluded investigation as those drugs have not been recovered from the accused, praying the court to deny him bail.

Magistrate Bashir Alkali in his ruling noted that the offence leveled against the accused is ordinarily bailable; however, he resolved in favour of the Police by remanding him in prison custody pending the conclusion of the police investigation.

The matter was adjourned to November 29 for continuation of hearing.