Court jails two electricity vandals in Delta State

Efforts at curtailing the activities of electricity vandals under the Benin Electricity Distribution Plc (BEDC) network has again yielded results as two persons, Friday Tega, and Tega Ajaino, were last week sentenced to three years and nine months, and two years imprisonment respectively with hard labour.

The accused, according to a statement from BEDC, were convicted by a Magistrate Court, in Koko near Sapele area of Delta State for vandalising a BEDC 33KVA line.

The accused, who were jailed without any option of fine were arrested and detained on December 19th, at the Koko Divisional Police Station, for committing the crime after cutting the wire of a tower in the Presco Palm oil plantation situated in Koko town.

They were reported to have cut the 50mm earthen wire for grounding channel iron on 33kva line, in addition to 12 towers also vandalised by the criminals before they were arrested. The vandals were caught by the customers and community members in the area.

While under detention at the Koko Police Station, one of the convicted vandals, Friday Tega, attempted to escape by breaking the toilet ceiling but was re-arrested after a search that lasted about an hour.

The vandals were arraigned before the Koko Magistrate Court on two counts of conspiracy and stealing for both of the vandals, while the second accused, Friday Tega, who attempted escape was tried on another two counts for attempted escape and malicious damage to property.

According to the magistrate, all terms were, however, to run concurrently at the Sapele Prisons, where they will serve their jail terms.

The activities of vandals on electricity distribution network continue to be a major act negatively affecting power service delivery to customers. BEDC has commended the vigilance and commitment of those who helped in arresting the vandals as well the swift way the police and the court has dealt with the issue.

It is expected that the action taken on such misdemeanours will be a deterrent against future occurences.