Vandal bags three years jail term for vandalizing BEDC equipment

David James has been sentenced to three years imprisonment without an option of fine by a Benin Magistrate Court 6 in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State for vandalizing equipment belonging to Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC).

The accused was sentenced on a two-count charge of stealing armoured cable wires and stealing three transformer bushes spindles both valued at nearly N500,000. The judgment was delivered by Mrs. E.A Aghedo after the accused pleaded guilty to the charges. 

The offence was contained in the charge sheet No. MSG/005c/2020 titled: Commissioner of Police vs. David James. James, aged 36, committed the offence on December 22, 2019 along Upper Ekewan road, Benin city. The accused was caught by members of Bedekeme Street in Obaji, off Ugbiyoko quarters, who alleged that they had been thrown into darkness due to the activity of vandals at different times.

The accused, who confessed to committing the crime, said he wanted to sell the vandalized items before he was arrested by men of the Nigerian Police Evbuotubu Division, Benin. In a confessional statement given to the police, James who said he was not a first time offender, said the vandalized items were usually sold to dealers in scrap items and that he has been to prison on account of vandalism.

The accused also confessed to have served a jail term of one year and six months at a Benin Correctional Service over cable vandalism in 2005. He said he is a driver and a house builder.