Three Arraigned Over Conspiracy To Commit Fraud, Tampering With Eko DISCO Network

Three persons have been arraigned before Magistrate A. A. Adesanya of the Ojo Magistrate Court, Lagos on Thursday July 9 on a four-count charge of conspiracy to commit fraud, impersonation, forgery and tampering with electricity installations within the Ojo District of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC). 

The three, identified as Magnus Obinali, a cleaner within the Ojo District; Success Akamoye, a third-party cashier and Jolayemi Oluwatomi, a field Representative of the company received a sum of N70,000 from unsuspecting customers who wanted to get their prepaid meters repaired and placed them on direct connection.

This was revealed in a statement signed by EKEDC General Manager Corporate Communications, Mr. Godwin Idemudia where he condemned the acts of impersonation, forgery, tampering and conspiracy to commit fraud.

Idemudia emphasised the company’s commitment to bringing perpetrators of such acts to book. 

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges and the magistrate adjourned the case to August 4 for hearing and granted the first, second and third defendants bail in the sum of N200,000 and N100,000 respectively with two sureties in like sum who must be gainfully employed in Lagos State and must provide 3 years tax clearance certificate or evidence of tax payment. 

Adesanya ordered the remand of the three suspects in the Kirikiri facility of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) pending the perfection of their bail conditions. 

Idemudia said “It is rather too unfortunate that people go about parading themselves as our staff when they are not. Obinali is a cleaner within our network who forged the company’s identity card to perpetrate evil against our esteemed customers. It is pathetic that a third-party cashier and the field representative conspired to swindle our customers. We will go the full extent of the law and this will serve as a deterrent to others aiming to do same.

“I urge our customers to go through the appropriate channels for all complaints or issues and make no form of payment to unauthorised persons or channels. Please report any of our staff or partners that make any demands from you for our services via email through whistleblower@ekedp.com or our website; ekedp.com, our 24/7 Customer Complaints Unit line: 07080655555, and any of our social media platforms (Twitter; @ekedp, Facebook; Eko Electricity, Instagram; ekedpng)” Idemudia added.

He concluded by using the opportunity to remind customers to continue to stay safe and strictly adhere to all safety and healthy protocols put in place in order to flatten the curve of the global pandemic Coronavirus (COVID-19).