Three Ikeja Electric workers nabbed for pre-paid meter theft

For allegedly stealing four pre-paid meters and two pre-paid meter boxes, three members of staff of the Ikeja Electric have been arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

The accused, Dayo Adeniyi, 27; Williams Akpabio, 41; and Tony Udekwe, 64, whose residential addresses were not provided, are facing three counts bordering on conspiracy and stealing.

The prosecution alleged that the trio stole four pre-paid meters valued at N145,000 and two pre-paid meter boxes worth N5,000, making a total of N150,000, property of Ikeja Electric.

The police prosecutor, Sgt. Innocent Odugbo, told the court that the accused committed the offences between June and October 2018 in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos State.

Odugbo also alleged that the accused sold a stolen pre-paid meter to one Kayode Stanley at the rate of N100,000 without a receipt.

He said, “The pre-paid meter given to the man by the accused was not energised and there was no issuance of a receipt. The pre-paid meter is believed to have been stolen by the accused from the company’s store.

“The Internal Auditor of Ikeja Electric alerted the police when he found out that the accused had been engaging themselves in such atrocities for a long time.”

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Odugbo said the offences contravened sections 287, 328 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (revised).

According to him, Section 287 of the law stipulates a seven-year jail term for stealing, while Section 411 provides for two years imprisonment for conspiracy.

The presiding Magistrate, Mrs S. K. Matepo admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties each in like sum.

Matepo said the sureties must be gainfully employed with evidence of three years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government and must have their addresses verified by the court.

She adjourned the case till January 9, 2019.

 - Punch