Electricity vandal bags five years jail term in Kaduna

A Federal High Court, Kaduna Division has sentenced a middle-aged man, Surajo Mohammed, to five years imprisonment for vandalising power supply equipment belonging to Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company.

A statement by the Head, Corporate Communication of Kaduna Electric, Abdulazeez Abdullahi disclosed that the convict was caught sometime in September 2016 at Unguwar Rimi Area of Kaduna metropolis vandalising a 300mm armored cable in a distribution sub-station along Musa Yakubu street.

According to the First Information Report (FIR) read in the court by the Investigation Police Officer (IPO), Sgt. Jacob Afolayan, he said the accused person was arraigned on a two count charges of economic sabotage and malicious destruction of public property, offences punishable under the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, LFN 2004 where he pleaded guilty.

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The presiding judge, Justice Peter Malong, after careful review of the facts of the case and the submission of the IPO sentenced the accused to five years imprisonment on each of the count charges without an option of fine.

The sentences were however to run concurrently effective from the date of his arrest which was 18th September, 2016.

Mr Abdulazeez Abdullahi congratulated both the police and the court for what he described as “sending a strong signal to miscreants and economic saboteurs that there is no hidden place for vandals of vital national infrastructures.”

He commended the state’s institutions for standing with the people and believed that the conviction will serve as a deterrent to others.

He appealed to customers of the company to share credible intelligence with, and or report any suspicious movement around power supply facilities to the company or the nearest police station.