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Asaba resident sues BEDC for N1.7m over estimated billings

By Monday Osayande, Asaba
27 April 2022   |   2:53 am
An Asaba resident and multimedia specialist, Efe Obire, has dragged Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) before a Chief Magistrates Court in Asaba, Delta State

[FILE] BEDC official

An Asaba resident and multimedia specialist, Efe Obire, has dragged Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) before a Chief Magistrates Court in Asaba, Delta State over alleged estimated billing.
  
Obire, residing at No 2 Christopher Close, Asaba is claiming N1.7m damages.

   
In a suit marked CMA/106/2021, the plaintiff alleged that the defendant used the estimated billings to defraud him by collecting unconsumed power.
   
He said: “Instead of reading my functional meter for the actual amount consumed, BEDCs used the fraudulent estimated billings to rob me, by forcing me to pay for the power that I did not consume.
 
“From January 2020 to July 2021, I have received fictitious and imaginary bills (from the estimated and imaginary consumption calculation of the BEDC) to the sum of N813,349.63.”
  
Obire urged the court to award him N700,000  as damages for the use of estimated billings, instead of the bill based on his actual consumption and special damage of N1 million for resorting to estimated billings.
 
But counsel to BEDC, Stephen Nwadialo said they have filed a preliminary objection on the ground that the Magistrates Court lacks jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
  
Responding to the defendant’s objection, the claimant’s counsel, Samuel Okonkwo, pleaded with the court to give him time to respond to his colleague’s application,
 
After listening to both sides, Chief Magistrate P.U. Nsolo adjourned the case till May 31, 2022; to enable the claimant time to respond to the application.

 
 

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