A Wuse Zone Six Chief Magistrates’ Court, Abuja, on Thursday, discharged 34-year-old woman, Alanza Pamah, charged for allegedly defrauding job seekers.
The Magistrate, Linda Chidama, discharged Pamah following an oral application by the prosecution counsel, Okonkon Udoh, praying the court to discharge the case for lack of the complainant’s interest.
“Considering the submission from the application made by the prosecutor in this case, this case is hereby struck out pursuant to sections 351 and 108 (1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act ( ACJA), 2015.
“The defendant is hereby discharged,’’ the magistrate said.
The prosecutor said the complainant had refused to come to court to give evidence and prove his case.
The magistrate said that the First Information Report (FIR) had also been struck out and the defendant discharged.
At the resumed hearing, the prosecutor informed the court that the complainant refused to come to court to give evidence since the matter was filed and every attempt to bring him to the court had proved abortive.
He, therefore, urged the court to invoke the provision of section 108 of ACJA.
According to him, the section stipulated that a prosecutor may withdraw a charge against any defendant either generally or in respect of one or more of the offences with which the defendant was charged.
Pamah, who resides in Aco Estate, Lugbe in Abuja was arraigned on Feb. 27, charged with a three-count of impersonation, criminal breach of trust and criminal intimidation.
During the arraignment, the prosecutor told the court that the complainant wrote a petition to the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Abuja on Jan. 23, 2019.
Udoh, in addition, said that the defendant, sometime in February 2017, convinced the complainant that she was a sister to the then Minister of Interior and that she was also working directly with the minister in the ministry.
The prosecutor further said that the defendant claimed that job employment existed for applicants willing to pay and she could use her position to influence it.
The prosecutor said the complainant thereafter gave the defendant N1.3 million to secure the job for three applicants.
According to him, the applicants were never given the job nor was their money returned by the defendant.
He said that when the complainant persisted in asking for a refund, the defendant threatened to deal with him.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the offence.
Udoh said the offence contravened the provisions of sections 132, 322 and 379 of the Penal Code Law. (NAN)