Itori Magistrate Court in Ogun witnessed a legal showdown as six Maximum Demand (MD1) customers of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) were arraigned on Wednesday for engaging in illegal connections.
The defendants faced a one-count charge for reconnecting to the IBEDC network without resolving their outstanding debts and disconnection issues.
The MD1 customers, initially disconnected by the company due to substantial arrears and non-payment, took matters into their own hands by illicitly restoring their connection without resolving the underlying disputes.
IBEDC’s Monitoring Team unearthed this unauthorized reconnection, promptly reporting it to the local police station, leading to the immediate arrest and subsequent arraignment of the customers at Itori Magistrate Court in Ogun State.
Presiding over the case, Mr A.O. Sodeinde, the acting Chief Magistrate, granted bail to the accused persons, contingent on meeting certain conditions.
However, they were remanded at the Ewekoro/Itori Divisional Police Station until those conditions are satisfied.
The case is set to resume on Wednesday, 24th January 2024, for further hearings.
In response to this incident, Engr. Abdulrasaq Jimoh, the Regional Head of IBEDC Ogun Region, appealed to customers to refrain from taking matters into their own hands.
He expressed concern over the rising cases of energy theft, including meter tampering, bypassing, racketeering, and illegal connections, emphasizing the adverse impact on IBEDC’s revenue, performance, and overall operations.
“The company, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, is actively monitoring our network to apprehend defaulters.
Perpetrators will face prosecution and public exposure in national newspapers to deter such nefarious acts that undermine the company’s stability,” warned Engr. Abdulrasaq Jimoh.
As the legal proceedings unfold, IBEDC continues to stress the importance of compliance with established procedures, urging customers to address outstanding issues through legitimate channels rather than resorting to illegal actions that jeopardize both their own interests and the operational integrity of the electricity distribution company.
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