Abuja Property Developer Sued For N11m Electricity Theft By FG
A property developer named Cecil Ezem Osakwe has been sued by the federal government in Abuja’s Federal High Court over alleged N11 million electricity theft.
According to the accusation, Osakwe tampered with energy meters, costing the federal government N11 million in lost income.
According to reports, Osakwe was apprehended by AEDC staff after reportedly stealing energy from several locations, including his home at 11 Aso Drive in Abuja.
The extent of Osakwe’s electrical theft at several other locations he oversees, according to power company authorities, is still being looked into.
Osakwe, the managing director of Abeh Signature Limited, is currently being tried in a High Court of Justice in the Federal Capital Territory on a criminal accusation of N130 million fraud in addition to the new theft case brought against him.
At the last adjourned date, Justice Idris returned the case file to the Chief Judge of the court.
The case has however, been assigned to Justice Mohammed Madugu of the FCT High court.
In the fresh charge signed by Mohammed Baba Ali, assistant director in charge of prosecution in the ministry of justice, Osakwe was said to have interfered with electricity supply which resulted in loss of revenue to the federal government, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 1(10) of the miscellaneous offences Act.
The two-count charge dated 2nd of August, 2022 read: “That you, Osakwe Ezem Cecil, sometimes in the month of September 2021 at No 1, Mekong Close, Maitama, Abuja, FCT, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, unlawfully interfered with supply of electricity by converting same which led to the losses of revenue and that in naira value about N11 million thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1(10) of the miscellaneous offences Act.
“That you, Osakwe Ezem Cecil, at No 1, Mekong Close, Maitama, Abuja, FCT, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, unlawfully interfered with electricity fittings, metres and appliances knowing and that you are converting supplying of electricity illegally, you thereby committed an offence contrary and punishable under Section 1(10) of the miscellaneous offences Act.
