Mother, son in court for text message assault

The police on Monday arraigned a mother, Theresa Idris, and her son, Abdulhameed, in a Wuse Zone 2 Senior Magistrates’ Court, Abuja, for assault and criminal intimidation.

Theresa, 51, and Abduhameed, 30, both of Block 16, Flat 95, CBN Quarters, Abuja, were alleged to have assaulted and intimidated the complainant through series of text messages.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Abdullahi Adamu, told the court that on May 21, at about 4:30 a.m., Mr Abu Idris of No. 26, Contonou Crescent, Wuse Zone 6, lodged a report at the police station.

Adamu said that between October and May, the accused had been threatening the complainant and his family with series of text messages.

The prosecutor informed the court that the offences contravened sections 263 and 397 of the Penal Code.

The accused persons, if convicted, could be punished with a term which might extend to two years or fine.

However, they pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecutor prayed the court to grant him a date to open the case against the accused.

The counsel for the accused, Mr Bernard Afu, prayed the court to grant his clients bail in liberal term for the matter was a family affair.

Afu further informed the court that the complainant was husband to the second accused and father to the first accused.

The Magistrate, Ms Binta Dogonyaro, granted the accused bail for N20,000 and a surety each.

Dogonyaro said that the surety must have a reliable means of livelihood and be resident within the court’s jurisdiction, with traceable address.

The magistrate adjourned the matter until July 21 for hearing.