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Thursday, January 25, 2024

Electricity theft case against Abuja developer adjourned until April

The electricity theft case filed by the federal government against an Abuja property developer, Cecil Osakwe, has been adjourned until April 15.

• January 25, 2024
Prepaid meters
Prepaid meters used to illustrate the story

The electricity theft case filed by the federal government against an Abuja property developer, Cecil Osakwe, has been adjourned until April 15.

The case, filed before Justice Binta Nyako at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, was slated for hearing on Thursday. However, it did not go on as the court did not sit.

Counsel in the matter, after agreeing, picked April 15 for continuation of trial in the case.

The government sued Mr Osakwe over alleged N11 million electricity theft.

In the charge, Mr Osakwe was accused of tampering with electricity metres, resulting in the government losing N11 million in revenue, thereby committing an offence contrary to section 1(10) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.

Mr Osakwe was allegedly caught by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) officials for allegedly stealing electricity at various properties, including his residence.

The defendant, however, challenged the legality of the task force that investigated the process leading to his arraignment.

He claimed that the task force was unknown to the law.

He drew the court’s attention to a pending suit challenging the panel that carried out the investigation.

(NAN)

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