Two sisters, Rebecca Simon and Tina Simon, on Wednesday, appeared before a Kaduna Chief Magistrates’ Court, charged with beating up a shop owner over ₦300 change.
The defendants, ages 24 and 28 respectively, both residents of Ungwan Yelwa Television area, Kaduna, were charged with causing grievous hurt. The two sisters each pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Prosecution counsel, Insp. Chidi Leo told the court that the complainant Felicia Samson reported the matter at the Sabon Tasha Police Station, Kaduna, on October 7.
According to Leo, the defendants went to the complainant’s shop on the fateful day at noon and asked for a loaf of bread of ₦1200. The council said that the sum of ₦1500 was handed to the shop owner. He said that the complainant told the defendants that she had no change and begged them to help her look for change.
“An argument ensued and in the process, the defendants attacked the complainant, beat her up and inflicted serious injuries on her.
“The complainant was saved by neighbours who rushed her to the Sabon Tasha General hospital for treatment,” the prosecutor explained.
He said that the offence contravened Section 224 of the Penal Code of Kaduna State 2017, which prescribes a seven-year jail term if found guilty.
The Magistrate, Ibrahim Emmanuel, granted the defendants bail for ₦100,000 each with one surety each in like sum. He said that each surety must reside within the court’s jurisdiction, and adjourned the case until November 7 for a hearing.