A Magistrate’s court sitting in Eket, yesterday, sentenced two young men to four years jail term, respectively, for vandalising facilities belonging to Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution (PHED) company in Eket, Akwa Ibom State.
The convicts: Aniekan Samuel Sampson and Akaninyene Samuel, who were found guilty of vandalisation, are expected to serve their respective jail terms at Nigerian Correctional Service facility, Eket.
They had on November 3, 2021, vandalised and stolen cables identified to be XLPE Cables from the UDOFA QIC Sub-station of PHED.
Their offences are punishable under section 556(1)(1) of the criminal code cap. 38 Vol. 2 Laws of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, 2000.
Meanwhile, the management of PHED has hailed the judgment, describing it as historic and a sigh of relief.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of PHED, Dr. Henry Ajagbawa, noted that PHED has suffered huge losses, where over 210 power transformers of various sizes and other electrical accessories had been vandalised by criminals over the years.
Ajagbawa urged governments at all levels to establish a legislation to help expedite judicial processes to help checkmate criminals and criminal activities in the energy sector.
Also, the company has decried the frequent assault suffered by its staff in the hands of some members of the public.
The firm warned that persons or communities found to have assaulted her staff, will henceforth suffer the consequences stipulated by the organisation’s in-house rules, and be prosecuted.
The decision followed the recent assault and severe bodily injuries dealt to one of her staff, Mr. Itoro Essienobom, in Akwa Ibom State.
