The Federal High Court of Nigeria, located in Awka, Anambra State, has issued a verdict, sentencing Chinonso Chinaemelu, aged 27, and Okoye Chisom Christian, aged 20, to one year of imprisonment each.
This judgment comes as a consequence of their involvement in the vandalism of a distribution substation owned by the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC).
This development was made known by the Head, Corporate Communications, EEDC, Emeka Ezeh, in a statement on Thursday.
Ezeh said the convicts were arrested on the 29th of November 2023 by the Abatete local vigilante group while attempting to vandalize the distribution substation within the locality.
He confirmed that in the same week, a couple identified as Mr & Mrs Ebuka Umeh was arrested by some members of Isuorji community neighbourhood security in Orlu, Imo State for attempting to pick up the vandalized items from a distribution substation belonging to EEDC with their motorcycle.
In his confessional statement, Ebuka testified that they attacked the substation for three days, stating that the vandalized items were sold to scrap dealers.
The suspects were handed over to the Orlu Police Division for proper investigation while efforts are ongoing to arrest the scrap dealers.
In a related development, a vandal suspect identified as Chukwuebuka Ezike who hails from Umunachi in Orsu Local Government Area, Imo State was arrested by Umuezinachi community neighbourhood watch while he was cutting aluminium conductor around Orie Uguiri Market.
At Amachi-Izhia, Ebonyi State, Amara Joseph Ajagbo was arrested by members of the Electricity Committee for vandalizing nine spans of aluminum conductors in their community, while two of his gang members escaped.
The suspects have been handed over to the respective Police formations for proper investigation and possible prosecution.
Ezeh lamented the spate of vandalism in the EEDC network stating that it is a major challenge negatively impacting the smooth operations of the company.
According to him, between January 2022 to date, the company has recorded over 170 cases of vandalism in its network, with about 135 suspected vandals arrested, out of which over 100 have been charged to court.
He stressed that the company will not relent in its resolve to prosecute the arrested suspects and go all out to fish out receivers of these vandalized items as they remain the motivation for the vandals.
Ezeh lamented that it has become difficult for the organization to fund the restoration of vandalized infrastructure and that the development is affecting service delivery to customers.
“We commend the judiciary for the judgement, and hope that this will serve as a deterrent to many others out there, engaging in such criminal acts.”
Ezeh appreciated the various communities that have committed to joining hands with EEDC to contain activities of vandals and called on others to do the same, saying when electricity infrastructures are attacked customers will be subjected to blackout.
