3 Men land in trouble over energy theft in Lagos
Electricity company engineers work on a transformer
Published By: Isa Isawade
By Paul Iyoghojie
Three members of staff of Black Bell Restaurants located at 26, Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase I, Lagos have been arrested by the Police at the Maroko division, of the Lagos State Police Command and charged before a Lagos Magistrates’ Court for allegedly tapping their employer’s electricity for a neighbour, Jay Plug Company.
They allegedly colluded with Jay Plug Company to carry out the act for a fee of N100,000 monthly without the consent of their employer.
Police alleged that nemesis, however, caught up with the defendants when the complainant sensed foul play over the unusual electricity bill they were paying to the Eko Electricity Distribution Company, EKDC and lodged a complaint.
The EKDC officials’ investigation later revealed that the defendants, David Oladipupo, 27, Bello Rotimi, 30, and Vincent Ohanuma had tapped the complainant’s electricity for their neighbour, Jay Plug Company for an alleged N100,000 monthly fee.
Police further alleged that following the development, the complainant reported the matter to the Divisional Police Officer, DPO in charge of Maroko division, CSP Ganiyu Raji who swiftly directed his crack team led by Inspector Otolor Monday to arrest the defendants.
The Police team tracked and arrested the defendants at a hideout in Lagos.
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The defendants were charged before the Igbosere Magistrates’ Court sitting at the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, tapping of employer’s electricity belonging to EKDC and receiving the sum of N100,000 through FCMB bank for the alleged electricity tapping without the consent of the employer.
Police prosecuting Counsel, Inspector Hafsat Ajibode informed the court in the charge marked M/32/2024 that the defendants committed the offence on 19 September 2024 at 25, Admiralty Way, Lekki, Lagos.
Ajibode told the Court that the defendants tapped their employer’s electricity for their neighbour, Jay Plug Company for a N100,000 monthly fee without the consent of their employer before they were arrested.
She said the offences the defendants committed were punishable under sections 411,340 and 415 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and Chief Magistrate, Mrs Gbajumo Ayoku granted them N450,000 bail each with two sureties each in like sum.
Ayoku adjourned the case till 18 November 2024 for mention and ordered that the defendants be detained at the Ikoyi correctional facility till they perfected the bail conditions.
