Police on Friday arraigned one Paul Agade, 32, and Anthony Manjock, 30, before a Senior Magistrates? Court in Karu, Abuja for allegedly impersonating a naval officer.
The accused persons are facing a four-count charge of criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, impersonation and cheating, contrary to the provisions of sections 97, 312, 132 and 323 of the Penal Code.
Section 132 stipulates that whoever pretends to hold any particular office?.shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with fine or with both.
The Prosecutor, Sgt. Daniel Adokpa, told the court that the matter was reported by one Bulus Dost at the Garki Police Command, Abuja in 2012.
Adokpa said that Agade introduced himself to the complainant at Central Area as a naval officer in the Defence Headquarters, Abuja.
“The complainant said he was interested in being recruited into the navy and the accused promised to assist him. The accused requested for N80,000 to facilitate the recruitment processes without undergoing examination and screening.
“The accused confessed to the police during investigation that he collected the money and transferred it to one Morrison Effiong, now at large. Effiong had claimed that he was the commandant in charge of naval training in Calabar.
“The accused also told the complainant to pay additional N10,000. He paid the money to Manjock.??
The prosecutor said the duo converted the money into their personal use and breached the trust reposed in them to get the complainant recruited in the Nigerian Navy.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Senior Magistrate, Mr Oyeyipo Ademuyiwa, granted them bail in the sum of N500,000 and two sureties in like sum.
