Court jails two persons for vandalizing IE transformer

The Lagos State Magistrate Court in Ejigbo has handed down sentences to two individuals for vandalizing transformers belonging to Ikeja Electric Plc.

Abubakar Alido received a one-year sentence for vandalizing a 500KVA transformer on Michael Aladesuyi Street, Egbeda, under the Omo Osho 11KV Feeder, while Ishola Olatunji was sentenced to six months for attempting to vandalize a transformer on Karimu Laka Street, Egbeda, under the Orelope 11KV Feeder. Alido was apprehended by a security guard and handed over to the police. The incident occurred when Alido was found tampering with the transformer cables.

Upon investigation, the police arraigned Alido at the Magistrate Court 1, Ejigbo, on June 14, 2024. He was charged with wilful damage of transformer cables, contrary to Section 339 and punishable under Section 350 of the Lagos State Criminal Law of 2015. Alido pleaded guilty when the charges were read to him. The case was adjourned to July 2, 2024, for sentencing.

On the adjourned date, the prosecutor summarized the facts, and Alido admitted them as true. His statement to the police was tendered and admitted as Exhibit A. Consequently, the court sentenced him to one-year imprisonment, effective from his arraignment date. The court highlighted the importance of this sentence as a deterrent to other vandals, given the rising incidence of such crimes in the area.

In a similar case, Ishola Olatunji was caught by members of the Karimu Laka community attempting to vandalize a 500KVA transformer. The community members, vigilant and proactive, handed Olatunji over to the police. Following an investigation, the police arraigned Olatunji at the Magistrate Court 1, Ejigbo, on March 11, 2024. He was charged with the attempted theft of transformer cables, punishable under Section 287 of the Lagos State Criminal Law of 2015.

Olatunji initially pleaded not guilty and was granted bail, with an order for remand at the Kiri-Kiri Correctional Facility pending the perfection of his bail conditions. However, he later opted to change his plea to guilty. During the hearing, the prosecutor summarized the case facts, which Olatunji admitted to. His statement to the police was also tendered and accepted as Exhibit A. The court then sentenced him to six-month imprisonment, counting from his arraignment date.

Speaking on the judgments, the Business Manager of Akowonjo Business Unit, Engr. Abayomi Bolorunde expressed satisfaction and hope that these sentences would serve as a strong deterrent to other potential vandals. He reiterated Ikeja Electric's commitment to curtailing the vandalism of its assets, emphasizing the significant damage such activities cause to the company's operations and the inconvenience they bring to customers. He urged communities to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities, as vandals continue to devise new methods to disrupt electricity supply and plunge customers into darkness.

Ikeja Electric's spokesman and Head of Corporate Communications, Mr Kingsley Okotie commended the joint efforts of both the Security and Legal teams at Ikeja Electric, as well as other external stakeholders and thanked them for their dedication while ensuring that the cases were pursued to a logical conclusion. He lamented the adverse impact of vandalism on Ikeja Electric's business and assured that the company would continually leverage its relationships with the police and other community stakeholders to get the vandals out of business.

He reiterated that proactive measures taken by Ikeja Electric and the collaboration with local communities highlight the ongoing battle against infrastructure vandalism, ensuring that perpetrators face the full wrath of the law while safeguarding essential services for the public.