Chinyere Agatuekwe, a 61-year-old lecturer residing in Aco estate, Abuja, has been brought before the Gwagwalada Magistrates’ Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on charges of criminal conspiracy, intimidation, and assault against her tenant.
The charges stem from a complaint lodged by Agba Nwabueze of Lugbe, Abuja, who reported the incident to the area command office on March 26. According to the prosecutor, Abdullahi Tanko, the alleged incident occurred on December 23, 2023, when the defendant purportedly dispatched a group of young men to forcibly evict the complainant from his apartment, despite his rent not being expired.
Tanko asserted that acting upon the defendant’s instructions, the group unlawfully entered the complainant’s residence, ejected him, and proceeded to move his belongings outside, causing damage and theft in the process.
During police investigation, the defendant reportedly confessed to orchestrating the eviction, although the boys involved remain at large.
The charges against Agatuekwe contravene sections 96, 396, and 326 of the Penal Code.
Upon pleading not guilty to the charges, the defendant’s counsel, Rakiyat Abba, made an oral bail application, citing constitutional and statutory provisions to support her plea for bail.
Magistrate Olatunji Oladunmoye granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N1 million, with one surety residing within the court’s jurisdiction and providing adequate means of identification.
The case has been adjourned until July 5 for further hearing, as the legal proceedings unfold in the ongoing matter.