A 38-year-old pastor, Uche Macldurence, appeared before a Grade 1 Area Court in Kubwa, Abuja, on Tuesday charged with criminal intimidation.
Macldurence, of NEPA Road off Gado Nasko Road, Kubwa, pleaded not guilty to a one-count charge of criminal intimidation levelled against him.
The prosecuting counsel, Babajide Olanipekun, told the court that the matter was reported by one Mr Anthony Igokwe of Tugo Road phase 4 Kubwa Abuja, at the Kubwa Police Station on June 19.
Olanipekun said Macldurence and the complainant had a little misunderstanding during which the pastor threatened “to deal’’ with the complainant, an utterance that contravened the law.
Counsel to the pastor, Mr Dan Nwobodo, made an oral bail application for his client and assured that the defendant would neither jump bail nor tamper with investigation into the case.
He asked the court to take cognisance that the defendant is a pastor.
The Area Court judge, Mr Muhammad Adamu, admitted Macldurence to bail in the sum of N200,000, with a reliable surety in like sum.
Adamu ruled that the surety must present valid means of identification and must reside within the court’s area of jurisdiction and adjourned the case to Nov. 9 for hearing.
