An electrical engineer, Gabriel Ioryem was on Thursday arraigned in a Life Camp Chief Magistrates’ Court, Abuja, for allegedly swindling his client of N2.6 million.

The police charged Ioryem, of New Karu Nasarawa State, with criminal breach of trust and cheating.

The prosecutor, Mrs Charity Nwachukwu, told the court that the complainant, Mr Kingsley Adiabokpa of Ochacho Estate Karmo, Abuja, reported the matter at the Karmo Police Station on Sept.5.

Nwachukwu alleged that the defendant, sometime in September 2024, criminally deceived and collected the sum of N2.6 million from the complainant with a promise to supply him Solar battery.

She also alleged that the defendant collected the money from the complainant and refused to supply the battery or refund the said money but converted it to his personal use.

The prosecutor added that all efforts by the complainant to reach the defendant and recover the said money proved abortive.

She told the court that the complainant tracked and arrested the defendant on Sept.17.

Nwachukwu said that during police investigation and interrogation, the defendant made a confessional statement and paid N300, 000 as part payment, but all efforts made to recover the balance proved abortive.

The offence, she said, contravened the provisions of Sections 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.

The Chief Magistrate, Musa Jobbo, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500, 000 with one surety in like sum.

Jobbo said that the surety must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and have a reliable means of identification.

He adjourned the case until Nov. 26, for hearing.