Two men were on Monday brought before a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly damaging a transformer belonging to the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) transformer and stealing some of its components.
The defendants: Arogundade Kamilu, 31, and Fatai Adebowale, 35, pleaded not guilty to the four charges of conspiracy, breach of the peace, criminal damage to public property and stealing preferred against them.
The prosecuting lawyer from the State Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Mr Williams Ologun, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on Dec. 8, 2021, at Rafiu Street in the Araromi Adamo area of Ikorodu, Lagos State.
According to him, the defendants damaged a 500KVA transformer belonging to the defunct PHCN which is valued N5million.
He added that they also stole a coil from the transformer.
Ologun said that the damage done to the transformer by the defendants caused the area to experience power outage for no less than two weeks.
According to the prosecutor, the offences contravene Sections 411, 168, 339 and 280 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. (Revised)
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sections 287 and 339 stipulate a three-year jail term each for the offences of stealing and criminal damage to property while Section 168 carries three months’ imprisonment for a breach of the peace.
The chief magistrate, Mrs Linda Balogun, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.
She directed that both sureties must be residing within the court’s jurisdiction and be gainfully employed with evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
She added that the prosecutor must verify the addresses and proofs of income of the defendants.
Balogun adjourned the case until Feb. 10 for mention.
