Abuja property developer arraigned for alleged electricity theft

The Federal Government on Monday, arraigned a property developer, Mr Cecil Osakwe at the Federal High Court, Abuja, over alleged electricity theft.

Osakwe was docked on a two-count charge bordering on allegedly tempering and interfering with electricity fittings, metres and appliances.

The offence, according to the charge, led to the loss of revenue amounting to N11 million.

He, however, pleased not guilty to both counts when the charge was read to him.

Following his not guilty plea, the prosecuting counsel, Mr Alibaba Maman prayed the court for date to enable him prove the charge against the defendant.

Mr Victor Giwa, counsel to the defendant, for his part prayed the court to grant his client bail based on self recognisance.

Giwa told the court that his client was a law abiding citizen who had no criminal record and had never committed any offence before.

The lawyer also told the court that if granted bail, his client would not interfer with investigations and would always attend court.

He also said that his client never abused the administrative bail granted him by the Special Investigative Task Force on Electricity Theft that was investigating the case.

The trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako said that she was minded to admit the defendant to bail because the prosecution had not placed any material before the court to convince her to refuse bail.

She admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N1 million with two sureties in like sum who must be resident in Abuja.

Justice Nyako told the defendant that since the bail was in the most liberal terms, under no circumstances should he miss his trial saying the bail would be revoked if he missed even a day.

Earlier, Osakwe had though his counsel, tried to stop the arraignment on the grounds that there was a pending suit challenging the legality of the panel that investigated him.

His counsel told the court that awaiting the outcome of the pending suit before arraigning his client was vital to the fair hearing of the defendant.

He said that they were challenging the legality of the panel because the panel was not known to law.

The judge, however, said that she would not take any interlocutory applications except after the defendant had taken his plea.

She adjourned the matter until May 2 for trial.

Speaking to newsmen, the prosecuting counsel said that prosecution of the defendant would serve as deterrent to others who had the intention of tempering with electricity metres.

Supreme reports that The two-count charge reads:

“That you, Osakwe Cecil, sometime in the month of Sept. 2021 at No 1, Mekong Close, Maitama, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, unlawfully interfered with supply of electricity by converting same which led to the losses of revenue and that in naira value about N11 million.

“You thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1(10) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.

“That you, Osakwe Cecil, at No 1, Mekong Close, Maitama, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, unlawfully interfered with electricity fittings, metres and appliances knowing and that you are converting supplying of electricity illegally.

” You thereby committed an offence contrary and punishable under Section 1(10) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.”