The federal government has charged a property developer, Mr Cecil Ezem Osakwe, with electricity theft before Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
He was arraigned in court on a two-count charge.
When the charge was read to him, he pleaded not guilty and the court granted him bail.
Justice Nyako granted him bail in the amount of N1m with two sureties, with the condition that he not miss the trial under any circumstances. If he does not appear for his trial, she has threatened to revoke his bail.
Mr Baba Ali, an Assistant Director in the Ministry of Justice, described the court’s decision as a welcome development. He says that the defendant’s prosecution will serve as a deterrent to others.
Osakwe had through his counsel, Mr Victor Giwa, told the court that he had a motion for a stay of the arraignment of his client.
He drew the attention of the court to a pending suit challenging the legality of the panel that investigated his client and appealed to the court for stay proceedings
But the court overruled him and asked that the charge be read to the defendant.
The court fixed the matter to May 2 for trial. At the last adjourned date, Justice Nyako threatened to issue a bench warrant, if Osakwe fails to appear in court for his arraignment.
On about two occasions, he failed to appear in court for his arraignment which prompted justice Nyako to threaten him with arrest, should he fail to appear in court. In the charge, Osakwe was said to have tampered with the electricity metre which resulted in the loss of N11m revenue to the federal government.
Osakwe was said to have been caught by the officials of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC, allegedly stealing electricity at various properties including his residence at 11 Aso drive, Abuja.
According to the officials of the power company, the scale of electricity theft by Osakwe at several other properties he manages is still under investigation.
Apart from the fresh charge of theft filed against him, Osakwe, the managing director of Abeh Signature Limited, is also facing a criminal charge of N130m fraud before a High Court of Justice of the Federal Capital Territory.
He failed to appear before Justice Idris Mohammed, for his arraignment. He claimed he was not served with the charge sheet.
At the last adjourned date, Justice Idris returned the case file to the Chief Judge of the court. The police claimed they were unable to serve him with the charges. The case has, however, been assigned to Justice Mohammed Madugu of the FCT High court.
In the fresh charge signed by Mamman Baba Ali, Assistant Director in charge of prosecution in the ministry of justice, Osakwe was said to have interfered with the electricity supply which resulted in the loss of revenue to the federal government, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 1(10) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
The two-count charge dated 2nd of August, 2022 read:
*That you, Osakwe Ezem Cecil, sometime in the month of September 2021 at No 1, Mekong Close, Maitama, Abuja, FCT, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, unlawfully interfered with the supply of electricity by converting same which led to the losses of revenue and that in naira value about N11, 000,000.00 thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1(10) of
the miscellaneous Offences Act.
*That you, Osakwe Ezem Cecil, at No 1, Mekong Close, Maitama, Abuja, FCT, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable 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.