Four jailed for attacking EEDC worker, vandalism

Four persons, Chika George, 32; Simon Nmerole, 61; Jonah Eberechi, 20; and Chukwudi Igboekwuto, 19 were on Friday sentenced to prison for attacking an employee of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) and vandalism of the company’s property.

While the trio of Chika, Simeon, Jonah were not given an option of fine according to the judge, J.I. Austine-Okeke of the Uvuru Magistrate Court, Mbaise, Imo State and are to spend one year in prison for attacking the electricity workers, Chukwudi is to spend two years and six months.

The attackers were said to have unleashed machete cut on one of the worker during the attack, a development said to have affected operations at the firm’s service centre in the area.

The incident took place on September 25, last year, when the apartment of one of them, Simeon Nmerole was disconnected for non-payment of electricity bill. On realizing the development, Nmerole was said to have mobilized his cohorts, who disrupted activities at the EEDC. It was in the process that Chika George rushed to the scene with a machete and inflicted a cut on one of the workers.

The trio, who are indigenes of Umuekeugo Ogbor Uvuru in Abor Mbaise local government area were charged and prosecuted on five count charges bordering on assault, threat to life and conspiracy. The Magistrate found them culpable and ruled that they should be made to answer for their sins by one year imprisonment without any option of fine to serve as deterrent to others.