Court Strikes Out Electricity Theft Charge Against Property Developer, Osakwe

Court Strikes Out Electricity Theft Charge Against Property Developer, Osakwe

  • Justice Binta Murtala Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed electricity theft charges against property developer Mr. Cecil Osakwe
  • The trial faced delays due to discrepancies in a witness's statement, leading to objections by the defense
  • A whistleblower’s report initially triggered the charges, but testimony from a former AEDC staff member revealed that he did not know what became of the investigation after it was submitted

Justice Binta Murtala Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has struck out the criminal charges of electricity theft brought against property developer Mr. Cecil Osakwe.

The decision followed the withdrawal of the case by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

Court Strikes Out Electricity Theft Charge Against Property Developer, Osakwe
Court Strikes Out Electricity Theft Charge Against Property Developer, Osakwe
Source: Getty Images

Granting the prosecutor’s request, Justice Nyako ruled:

“It is hereby ordered as follows: That as requested by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, the charge be and it is accordingly struck out. That the defendant is hereby discharged.”

Read also

Benue: Court nullifies APC caretaker committee, gives reason

The ruling brings an end to the federal government’s criminal proceedings against Osakwe, which began with allegations of tampering with electricity meters on one of his properties.

Witness discrepancies stalled case

The case had faced hurdles prior to its withdrawal. At the last hearing, discrepancies in a witness’s statement led to delays.

Prosecutor Mamman Alibaba called a witness, Mr. John Suleiman, to testify about alleged meter tampering.

However, defence counsel Victor Giwa objected to the admission of exhibits tied to Suleiman’s testimony.

Giwa argued that the documents had not been attached to the witness statement provided to the defence, making Suleiman an inappropriate person to tender them.

Justice Nyako upheld this objection, leading to an adjournment for the prosecution to address its case.

Earlier allegations from AEDC whistleblower

The prosecution's case initially relied on a report from a whistleblower to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC).

Read also

BREAKING: Again, EFCC to arraign Yahaya Bello, reason, other details emerge

Prosecution witness Mr. Gabriel Ojo, a former AEDC staff member, testified that a team investigated the allegations and forwarded a report to AEDC management.

Ojo admitted under cross-examination that he did not know the report’s fate after submission, nor could he recall the names of security guards interviewed during the investigation.

“I believe that the management passed the report to the revenue protection unit, but I do not know what happened thereafter,” Ojo told the court.

PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy!

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Ezra Ukanwa avatar

Ezra Ukanwa (Editor) Ezra Ukanwa is a Reuters-certified journalist with over 5 years of professional experience. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication from Anchor University, Lagos. Currently, he is the Politics and Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng, where he brings his expertise to provide incisive, impactful coverage of national events. Ezra was recognized as Best Campus Journalist at the Anchor University Communications Awards in 2019 and is also a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM). Contact him at: ezra.ukanwa@corp.legit.ng or +2349036989944