Daily Trust - the online edition

A middle-aged man accused of buying two stolen cows in 2006, was yesterday discharged by an Abuja magistrate court.

The accused, Abdullahi Muhammad Ikara, was discharged because of lack of diligent prosecution.

When the case was first mentioned in court, the prosecutor, Bitrus Duguza, informed the court that on January 24, 2006, a team of policemen led by one Sergeant Anthony Achi attached to Nyanya Divisional Police station arrested the accused with two cow legs and a bag containing the intestine of a cow.

The accused person and one Meme were said to have bought the two cows from one Osama and Unaru.    "The two cows were later confirmed to be stolen and slaughtered in an uncompleted building in Nyanya Phase 4 where the accused person was arrested in 2006." the prosecutor added.

Sergeant Bitrus Duguza equally told the court that the accused person later confessed to the police that the two cows, worth N100, 000, were truly stolen.

The accused person denied the allegations

The court granted the accused bail at the sum of N30, 000 with two sureties.

The accused was finally discharged from court yesterday after the prosecutors consistent failure to follow up with the suit.

 In another case, four teenagers were yesterday discharged for lack of evidence.

The accused persons, Cosmos Anayo, Bright Oyigbo, Blessing Ozobi, John Agagi and Sunday Soji were also accused of beating the occupant of the house and also stealing his property.

Prosecutor, Sergeant Bitrus Duguza, said one Mr. Adeolu Akinloye reported to the police that the accused persons attacked his residence at Kurudu village and inflicted injuries on him.

He said they also made away with valuable items from the place.

 The complainant told the court that when the police paraded some armed robbery suspects in the FCT, he identified Blessing Ozoba, but all the accused denied guilt.

The court granted each of the accused persons bail in the sum of N50, 000 with a surety in like-sum. After series of adjournments because of prosecutor’s slackness, the the court yesterday discharged the five accused persons.