Teenage cable thief gets three years jail term

Muazu was caught along Olorunlogbon/Oyedele junction, in Mende, Maryland, by an official of the Power Holding Company (PHCN) one Olufemi Samuel, who was on duty on the fateful date and handed him over to the police at Anthony police station.

In his trial at the magistrate court in Shomolu, Muazu pleaded guilty to the one count charge which is punishable under section 390(9) of the criminal code, Cap 17, Vol. 6, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003.

According to the prosecutor, Inspector Adegoke Akinlabi, the accused, on April 6, 2010 at about 12:30pm, was caught along Olorunlogbon/Oyedele junction, Anthony/Maryland, Lagos when a PHCN official named Olufemi Samuel, and other officials were going on routine duty to check transformers within Anthony/Maryland area.

The prosecutor said that on getting to Oyedele junction, Anthony, the said accused, was seen by a transformer holding a hammer and chisel and cutting the transformer cable.

 The hammer, chisel and cable the accused was caught with were tendered as exhibits by the prosecutor.

Delivering judgment, Mrs B. O. Osunsanmi, asked for the relations of the accused and what he would want the court to do for him, which accused answered by saying he had nobody in Lagos as he pleaded for mercy.

While pronouncing the sentence, Mrs Osunsanmi said, “having pleaded for leniency, the defendant is hereby sentenced to three years imprisonment without an option of fine.”