Absence Of Suspect Stalls Trial Of Fake Police Officer

By Khadijah Abdullah

The refusal of a suspect, Yusuf Ismaila, 29, parading himself as a police officer to appear in court stalled his ongoing trial.

At the resumed hearing of the matter before Mrs. M.A Awodele of an Osogbo Magistrate Court, the suspect’s failure to show up in court to stand trial made the court to adjourn the matter.

It would be recalled that the suspect was arraigned and remanded in prison custody for defrauding two victims of a sum of N1.3 million.

He was also alleged to have swindled the victims, the said amount on the pretence of selling a plot of land to them.

The suspect was also said to have claimed to be a police officer which was known to be false contrary to section 192 of the criminal law 2003.

The charge sheet disclosed that the suspect in a bid to make his victim believe him presented a photograph of himself in police uniform, an offence contrary to section 109 of the state criminal law.

Although at the initial trial, he pleaded not guilty to the charges against him but was denied bail as the court asked his lawyer to apply for his bail formally.

The matter was however, adjourned to January 21, 2019