MICHAEL AKINOLA
Two members of staff of Ikeja Electric Company, Opeyemi Rabiu and Olamelekan Musiliu, had a nasty experience after they went to disconnect power supply over accumulated bills and they were brutally battered by angry residents in Lagos State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Shoremekun Street, Aboru area of Lagos, while the victims were on official duty.
The angry residents, who had groaned under the weight of accumulated bills on power not supplied for use, descended on the staff of the distribution company, damaged their properties including phone and stabbed of them, Musiliu, before chasing them away from the area.
The matter was reported to the Police at Oke-Odo Division and three of the suspects, Adeshina Ariyo, 23, Sina Akande, 53 and Kabiru Raman, 55, were arrested. They were detained at the Police Station for interrogation over their conduct while others were said to be at large.
While at the station, the suspects told the Police that the electricity distribution company kept bringing crazy bills to the area for power it did not supply and despite that they still come to disconnect their wires, which angered some residents.
They denied being involved in the attack of the victims.
However, the Police found them culpable during interrogation and subsequently charged them before the Ogba Magistrate Court for the alleged assault on the electricity distribution company staff.
They pleaded not guilty when they were arraigned.
The prosecutor then asked the Court to give a date for hearing since they pleaded not guilty to enable the Police to prove that they actually committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mr. L.A. Owolabi, granted them bail with the condition that the sureties must show evidence of means of livelihood and addresses verified by the Court.
The matter was adjourned while the defendants were remanded in custody at the Correctional Centre at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when they will perfect their bail conditions.