A Wuse Zone 6 Chief Magistrates’ Court, Abuja, on Friday sentenced a 36-year-old facility manager, Mohammed Yusuf, to six months imprisonment for diversion of electricity supply from a meter.
Yusuf, who resides at River Park Estate, Lugbe, was sentenced on a count charge of theft, an offence he admitted committing.
The Magistrate, Abdulmajid Oniyangi, however, gave the convict N8,000 option of fine.
Oniyangi said the court was lenient because he had no record of previous conviction.
He, however, warned the convict to be of good behaviour and desist from any criminal activities.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Pureheart Agabaenwere, had informed the court that the Revenue Protection Unit of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), during a routine inspection on Feb. 7, discovered that the convict had been consuming electricity in the facility office without authorisation.
Agabaenwere said the convict diverted electricity current from meter number 45700180271 to direct supply of the AEDC network.
He said that during investigation, the defendant admitted to have committed the offence.
The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 286 (b), punishable under Section 287 of the Penal Code.
Following the plea of the convict, the prosecutor prayed the court to try him summarily, under Section 118 (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.(NAN)