BY AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp, Ebonyi State Command, has arraigned two men before a magistrate’s court sitting in Abakaliki for stealing diesel meant for powering street light in parts of the state.
The suspects, Ogbonna Offor, 35, and Egwuonwu Onyebuchi, 24, were said to have siphoned 50 litres of diesel, worth N50, 000 on August 31, at Rice Mill Road, Mechanic Village, Abakaliki.
The Point learnt that the suspects and two other persons working at the powerhouse, now large, conspired to commit the said crime.
The legal officer of the NSCDC Ebonyi State Command, Linda Akam, said that the offence is contrary to Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap C38 Laws, 2004 and Section 519(A) of the Criminal Code Act 2004 Laws of the Nigerian federation.
The charge reads, “That Ogbonna Offor (male), Egwuonwu Onyebuchi (male) and two others at large, on the 31st of August, 2021 at Mechanic Village within the Abakaliki Magisterial district, did conspire to commit felony to wit: siphoning and stealing 50 liters of diesel oil (AGO) used to power street lights along Rice Mill Road, Abakaliki, property of the Ebonyi State Government and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 519(A) of the Criminal Code, Act 2004 Laws of Nigeria.
“That Ogbonna Offor, Egwuonwu Onyebuchi and two others at large, on the 31st day of August, 2021 at the Mechanic Village within the Abakaliki Magisterial district, did commit felony (by) siphoning and stealing diesel used to power street light along Rice Mill Road, Abakaliki valued N50, 000.00 (Fifty thousand naira) only property of Ebonyi State Government and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code, Cap C38 Laws of the federation, 2004.”
Akam opposed the bail application by the defendants’ counsel, Daniel Okeke, and prayed the court for the prosecution of the suspects to serve as deterrent to others.
According to the legal officer, there have been incessant cases of siphoning and stealing of diesel meant for public utilities in the state which results in blackout being experienced in the affected areas.
This, Akam noted, aggravated insecurity in parts of the state. She prayed the court to discountenance the bail application by the suspects on the grounds that they might jump bail.
However, the trial magistrate, Chukwudi Ogboji, granted them bail in the tune of N100, 000.00 and one surety each in like sum.
The court ordered that the sureties must be reliable adults resident within the jurisdiction of the court. The sureties, the court added, must deposit evidence of three-year tax payment and their full photographs at the registry.
The case was adjourned to November 10 for hearing.
