Police arrest angry tenant for damaging landlord’s property after receiving quit notice

A tenant, Francis Williams, 37, was arraigned on Wednesday in a Kaduna Magistrates’ Court for allegedly damaging his landlord’s shop worth N350,000 after being told to quit.

The defendant, who resides at Ungwan Pama, Kaduna, is facing a charge of willful damage to property.

The prosecutor, Chidi Leo, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on Sunday, at Sabon Tasha, Kaduna.

Mr Leo stated that the defendant intentionally damaged the doors, windows, and toilet and removed electrical cables before moving out of the shop.

The prosecutor said that the complainant, Vincent Timothy, had asked the defendant to vacate the shop because the defendant had not paid his rent for a whole year.

He said that when the complainant went to check the shop after the defendant had moved out, he discovered that the defendant had done some damage.

“When asked to pay for the damages, the defendant refused to pay and rather threatened to beat the complainant. The complainant reported the case to the Police and the defendant was immediately arrested,’’ he said.

He said that the offences contravened the Kaduna State Penal Code, 2017.

The magistrate, Ibrahim Emmanuel, granted the defendant bail of N500,000 with one surety in like sum.

Mr Emmanuel said the surety must reside within the court‘s jurisdiction and show evidence of tax payment to the Kaduna Government.

He adjourned the case until December 20 for a hearing.

(NAN)