Five Remanded For Stealing N200m IBEDC Cables In Osun - OsunDefender

A magistrate court sitting in Okuku, Osun State, has remanded five people in correctional facility for allegedly stealing a N200m worth of cables, wires and electric power transformer fittings belonging to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, IBEDC.

The defendants were: Seun Ajayi(39), Oyeyemi Ariyo (37), Afolabi Emmanuel (23), Oyewole Mayowa (45) and Adeyemo Babatunde (32).

The defendant were charged with a 7 counts bordering on stealing and receiving stolen properties.

According to the charge sheet obtained by OSUN DEFENDER, the defendants between January and February 2025, at Oyan community, Osun State, allegedly conspire to steal and received electric wires, copper wires, armored cables, electric power transformer fittings, property of IBEDC.

The defendants were also said to have vandalised and cut out electric wires from an Electric Power Transformer in Iree community, Osun State.

The charge sheet stated that Ajayi, Ariyo and Emmanuel carried out the stealing while Oyewole and Babatunde received the stolen items.

The counts reads, “That you SEUN AJAYI ‘M’ (2) OPEYEMI ARIYO ‘M’ (3) AFOLABI EMMANUEL ‘M’ (4) OYEWOLE MAYOWA ‘M’ (5) ADEYEMO BABATUNDE ‘M’ and others now at large, between the month of January and the 3rd day of February 2025, at Oyan community, Osun State, in the Okuku Magisterial District, did conspirt among yourselves to commit felony to wit: Stealing and Receiving Stolen Properties and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.

“That you SEUN AJAYI ‘M’ (2) OPEYEMI ARIYO ‘M’ (3) AFOLABI EMMANUEL ‘M’ and others now at large, on the same day, time, place and in the aforementioned Magisterial district, did steal electric wires, copper wires, armored cables, electric power transformer fittings, all valued (#200,000,000:00k) property of Ibadan Electric Distribution Company (IBEDC) and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 300(9) of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.

“That you SEUN AJAYI ‘M’ (2) OPEYEMI ARIYO ‘M’ (3) AFOLABI EMMANUEL ‘M’and others now at large, on the same day, time, place and in the aforementioned Magisterial district, did conspire among yourselves to commit Misdemeanor to wit: Wilful Damage and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 517 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.

“That you SEUN AJAYI ‘M’ (2) OPEYEMI ARIYO ‘M’ (3) AFOLABI EMMANUEL “M’ and others now at large, on the same day, time, place and in the aforementioned Magisterial district, did wilfully and unlawfully vandalize and cut out electric wires from an Electric Power Transformer at Oyan Community, property of Ibadan Electric Distribution Company (IBEDC), and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 451 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.

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“That you SEUN AJAYI ‘M’ (2) OPEYEMI ARIYO ‘M’ (3) AFOLABI EMMANUEL ‘M’ and others now at large, on the same day, time, at Iree, Osun State and triable in the aforementioned Magisterial district, did wilfully and unlawfully vandalize and cut out electric wires from an Electric Power Transformer at free Community, property of Ibadan Electric Distribution Company (IBEDC), and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 451 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.

“That you ADEYEMO BABATUNDE ‘M’, on or about the same day, time, place and in the aforementioned Magisterial district, did wilfully and unlawfully receive electric wires and copper wires at paltry rate of seven hundred thousand naira (#700,000:00k) from SEUN AJAY! ‘M’ (2) OPEYEMI ARIYO ‘M’ (3) AFOLABI EMMANUEL ‘M’ knowing same to have been stolen or obtained by any means constituting an offence, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 427 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.

“That you OYEWOLE MAYOWA ‘M’ and one other now at large, on or about the same day, time, place and in the aforementioned Magisterial district, did wilfully and unlawfully receive electric wires and copper wires at paltry rate of nine hundred thousand naira (#900,000:00k) from ADEYEMO BABATUNDE ‘M’ knowing same to have been stolen or obtained by any means constituting an offence, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 427 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002”.

The defendants however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Counsels to the 1st, 3rd and 5th accused persons, Kehinde Adepoju, counsel to the 2nd accused person, Abdul Rahman Olodo and counsel to the 4th accused person, G.O Oludayo, prayed the court to grant the defendants bail, promising that they would stand their trail and not jump the bail..

However, Police Prosecutor, Inspector Segun Okeniyi, opposed the bail applications, explaining that all the defendants were arrested on tracking and if granted bail, would likely jump bail.

After listening to all parties, Magistrate Ibukun Adeniran in his ruling, said the details before him are still sketchy.

He thereby ordered the accused persons to be remanded in correctional facility.

He adjourned till April 7th, 2025.

Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.