By CHARLES IWUOHA

A 34-year-old suspect, identified as Chika Azuonwu, was on Wednesday arraigned before a Magistrate’s Court Anambra State in the Idemili North Magisterial District Holden at Ogidi for vandalizing Dumez distribution substation, belonging to Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC).

He was arrested by residents of Ezeiweka Road, on September 7, 2021 and handed over to Awada Police Division.

The suspect, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge and the case adjourned to October 4, 2021.

This was revealed by the Head, Corporate Communications, EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, during a chat with newsmen in Enugu on Thursday, September 16, 2021.

In a related development, the duo of Chinedu Alama, aged 38 years, and Uche Okpara, aged 45 years, were last Friday, September 10, 2021, arraigned at the Chief Magistrate Court of Anambra State Chief Magistrate’s Court of Idemili Magisterial District, Holden at Ogidi for assaulting personnel of EEDC while carrying out their legitimate duties.

The EEDC officials were carrying out monitoring of disconnected customers at Ozalla Awada when they discovered an illegal connection at No. 13 Onyekwere Street, Ozalla Obosi, a building with 12 flats, all installed with prepaid meters.

The tenants tampered with their meters, which led to disconnection of the house and instead of the occupants visiting EEDC office to resolve the issue, they resorted to illegally reconnecting themselves and enjoying electricity supply before the illegal connection was discovered and disconnected accordingly.

Some tenants from the disconnected building accosted the EEDC staff and launched attack on them.

Ezeh, who expressed concern over the series of attack on both EEDC infrastructure and its staff, recounted how two vandal suspects identified as Emeka Anene and Nwoye Chinedu, indegenes of Uruayom Mgbakwu, Anambra State, were arrested by Mgbakwu vigilante team on September 7, 2021, for vandalizing a transformer belonging to EEDC, located at Uruaku village, Mgbakwu, Awka North Local Government Area, Anambra State.

The suspects were subsequently handed over to Mgbakwu Police Station for further interrogation and possible prosecution.

According to the company’s spokesperson, “Management of EEDC frowns at these acts that impact on its operations and will stop at nothing in ensuring that anyone found culpable will be prosecuted accordingly”.