Court orders man to pay N5,000 fine for illegal electricity connection

A Wuse Zone 6 Chief Magistrates’ Court, Abuja, on Friday, ordered one Alex Okafor, docked for unauthorised diversion of electricity supply from a metre by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC) to pay N5,000 fine.
 Okafor, who resides at Kabusa opposite Dunamis Church, Lokogoma, pleaded guilty to a count charge of theft.
The Magistrate, Njideka Nwosu-Iheme, convicted Okafor after listening to the submissions of the prosecutor.
“Upon your admission of guilt, I hereby order you to pay N5,000 fine, and N2,500 compensation to the nominal complainant,” she said.
Earlier the prosecutor, Blessing Ordia, told the court that the convict diverted electricity current from his meter to direct supply of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) network without authorisation.
Ordia, said that the diversion was discovered on July 27 by staff of AEDC during a routine inspection.
The prosecutor also said that from a detailed investigation, it was discovered that the convict had been illegally consuming electricity for months without detection.
She said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 287 of the Penal Code.