2 men in court over illegal electricity reconnection

By Glory Abuh-Adejoh

Two men, who allegedly reconnected electricity after being disconnected by Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), were on Friday arraigned in a Lugbe Magistrates’ Court, Abuja.

The men, Daniel Ibu, 51, and Abraham Nwachukwu, 38, residents of Zone 1, Lugbe, Abuja, are facing a two-count charge of joint act and theft.

The prosecutor, Ndidi Ukoha, alleged that the defendants committed the offences on Aug. 24 at about 11:50 p.m.

The prosecutor told the court that one Augustine Ubani, a staff of AEDC, Apo Regional Office, on the same date, reported the matter at the Lugbe Police Station.

According to Ukoha, the complainant said that on the same date, while on patrol to monitor the company’s network, he discovered that the defendants who had earlier been disconnected over failure to pay their bills, illegally reconnected electricity into their houses.

The prosecutor further alleged that on inspection, it was discovered that the defendants had been consuming electricity in their houses without paying for it, nor did they offset their previous debt of N142,500.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened the provisions of Sections 79 and 287 of the Penal Code.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges, while the Magistrate, Samuel Idhiarhi, granted them bail in the sum of N100, 000 each, with a surety each in like sum.

The case was adjourned until Nov. 15, for hearing.