Dr. McDonald Inechi and Kingsley Ugwuonye, Two consultant psychiatrists with the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, who were accused of forgery and stealing, were on Wednesday discharged and acquitted by an Enugu State Chief Magistrates’ Court.
The state police command had recently arraigned the doctors before Chief Magistrate J. I. Agu for allegedly stealing N700, 000 belonging to Sir Stephen Ozor, the next of kin to the late Dr. Obinna Ozor by forging his signature on a purported acknowledgment letter.
The duo was also accused of stealing N1, 030,711 belonging to Obinna, who was their colleague.
However, the doctors pleaded not guilty to the four counts and were admitted to bail in the sum of N300, 000 and one surety each in like sum.
However, during the last proceedings, the chief magistrate had advised the complainant, Stephen, to settle out-of-court before Wednesday’s session or the court would commence trial.
But when the case was called up on Wednesday, both the police prosecutor, Simeon Aneze told the court that he just got information that the complainant had settled with the accused.
Agu asked the complainant if he had settled with the accused persons and he answered in the affirmative.
Ugwu, in an oral application, urged the court to invoke the provisions of Section 199 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act of Enugu State, 2017 to acquit and discharge the accused persons in view of the circumstances.