Abduction: Court Grants Accused Provisional Bail

A Port Harcourt
Chief Magistrate Court, Rivers State, presided over by S. D. Andrew-Jaja, has granted an accused person a provisional bail over an alleged abduction case.
The accused, Nwaokola Nwaeke, 40, is standing trial on three count charge of abduction, demand of ransom and stealing with charge No. PMC/1418C/2016.
The police Prosecuting Officer, Inspector W. Isaiah, told the court that the accused and others at large on 2nd day of July, 2016 at Mile 3 Diobu, Port Harcourt in the Port Harcourt Magisterial District did conspire amongst themselves to commit felony to wit: abduction.
The police prosecuting officer also told the court that the accused and others at large on the same date and place in the afore said Magisterial District with the intent  to demand ransom did kidnap one Francis Ibekwe and unlawfully imprisoned him in such a manner as to prevent his relations or any person entitled to have access to him from discovering the place where he was imprisoned.
The police prosecution further told the court that the accused at the same time and place within the same jurisdiction, allegedly stole one handset valued at five thousand naira cash (N5,000) all valued at N15,000 property of one Francis Ibekwe thereby committing an offence punishable under section 516 (A) (1), laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999 and section 1 (1) (2) (6) of the Rivers State Kidnap Prohibition laws No. 3 of 2015.
The accused however, pleaded with the court to free him as he did not kidnap anybody rather that he was arrested by the police while soliciting for arms.
Ruling on the matter, the presiding Chief Magistrate, S.D. Andrew -Jaja  granted the accused a provisional bail, based on count three and directed the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) on the matter and the complainant to appear in the court on the next adjourned date to shed more light on the count  as well as the purported letter of withdrawal by the complainant as raised by the accused.