Convict, Abdul-Gafaru Sulemana
Abdul-Gafaru Sulemana,24, a tricycle rider, has been sentenced to two months imprisonment by the Tamale District Magistrate Court for stealing a prepaid meter belonging to the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo).
He was also fined 100 penalty units which amount to GH 1,200 in default and spend 4 months in prison.
The convict was arraigned before the Tamale District Magistrate Court and charged with an attempt to commit a criminal offense, section 18 of the criminal and other offenses Act 1960(Act,29), and stealing.
The convict pleaded guilty to all the charges leveled against him.
*Facts*
On November 12, 2022, the accused went to Gumbihini, a suburb of Tamale, and was seen with a pair of pliers at the back of a house in an attempt to remove a VRA/NEDCO electricity meter that gives power to a customer.
Luck eluded the accused when the son of the customer intercepted him and raised an alarm however the accused took to his heels and was chased and arrested.
He was then handed over to VRA/NEDCO security officers who then handed him to the police.
After investigations, the accused was charged and arraigned before the Tamale District Magistrate Court.
The Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) Public Relations Officer, Alhassan Abaaba, in an interview with DGN Online appealed to the general public to be wary of such miscreants in their communities and to desist from soliciting their help in carrying out jobs that are the exclusive preserve of NEDCo.
“NEDCo will need its customers to take a cue from the shining example of our customer and his family by asking questions when in doubt of anybody and should be bold to confront all suspicious characters and when dissatisfied with their responses hand them over to the nearest police station or NEDCo office just like they did in the instant case. This is probably the surest way to nip such acts of unpatriotism in the bud.”
He urged the consuming public to endeavor to deal with NEDCo directly, especially on matters bothering meter acquisition since they do not have agents, assigns, middlemen, or Goro boys, among others handling such core functions.
FROM Eric Kombat, Tamale