22nd February, 2012
An Igbosere magistrate’s court sitting in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, has sentenced a Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, cable thief, Hafis Ayeola, 20, to six months imprisonment.
The convict was sentenced for vandalism and stealing of underground cable belonging to PHCN around Law School and Adeyemo Alakija area of Victoria Island, without an option of fine.
The magistrate, Miss M. O. Ope Agbe, convicted and sentenced Ayeola after he pleaded guilty to the one-count charge of felony to wit, stealing.
Police investigations revealed that Ayeola was accosted by a police patrol team attached to Bar Beach Police Division, Victoria Island, Lagos, on 31 January, 2012 at about 3a.m. carrying a bundle of vandalised PHCN cable.
When he was questioned on how he came about the cable and where he was taking it to, he could not give a satisfactory answer.
He was promptly arrested and taken to the station.
During investigation, he confessed to digging out the cable from under the bridge around Law School.
“I have been vandalising PHCN cables around Victoria Island for long and selling same at Ijora and Railway line, Constain, Iganmu, Lagos. I promise to change if I am set free in this case,” Ayeola pleaded.
After investigation, he was charged to court on a one-count charge of stealing PHCN cable valued at N100,000.
The offence, according to prosecutor, ASP Elizabeth C. Ekuma, is punishable under Section 278 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2012.
The presiding magistrate, Ms Ope Agbe, sentenced him to six months imprisonment without an option of fine.