A 36-year-old farm Manager, Patrick Olusegun, has been arrested in Abuja, for allegedly stealing chickens worth N5.4 million.

Olusegun, who resides at Lugbe, Abuja, has been charged with theft but pleaded not guilty before a Kado Grade 1 Area Court on Tuesday, September 12.

The prosecution, Mr Stanley Nwafoaku, told the court that Mr Ajayi Elijah of Wale John Farms, Lugbe, Abuja, reported the matter at Lugbe Police Station on September 8.

Nwafoaku alleged that, in July, the complainant employed the defendant to manage his poultry farm with over 1000 birds.

He said that when the complainant took stock of the birds, 542 birds worth N5.4 million went missing.

The prosecutor claimed that the defendant was consequently apprehended and that during police investigation, the defendant could not explain how the chickens went missing, an offence that contravened Section 289 of the Penal Code.

The Area Court Judge, Mr Mohammed Wakili, granted the defendant bail in the sum of one million Naira with one surety in like sum.

Wakili ordered that the surety must reside within the jurisdiction of the court. The judge then adjourned the case until Oct. 10 for a hearing.