The police have arraigned a 26-year-old lawyer, Ekunife Emmanuel, in a Lugbe Grade I Area Court Abuja for allegedly refusing to pay a commercial sex worker.

The police charged Emmanuel, of Jahi Abuja, with criminal breach of trust, assault, causing hurt and inciting disturbance, an offence he denied committing.

The prosecuting counsel, Olisaemeka Okeke, told the court on Wednesday that the complainant, Queeneth John, who works as a sex worker in Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, reported at the Asokoro police station on March 12, 2024.

She said that on March 11, around 10 p.m., Emmanuel approached her while she was selling things in Wuse. He took her to Banex Plaza, promising to pay her for sex. But when it was over, he didn’t give her the money as promised.

He said in the process the defendant started beating the complainant as a result she sustained bruises all over her body.

Okeke said the offence contravened the provisions of Sections 312, 365, 244, and 114 of the Penal Code.

The judge, Aliyu Kagarko, granted Emmanuel bail in the sum of N1 million, with a surety of similar amount.

“I hereby grant the defendant bail in line with section 165 (2) of Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 to deposit 10 percent of the bail sum at the court registry pending the determination of the case,” the judge said.

He ordered that the surety must be a legal practitioner with at least five years of experience, possessing a valid call to bar certificate, and residing within the court’s jurisdiction.

He adjourned the case until April 18, 2024, for further hearing.