Two employees of the Ikeja Electric were beaten up while carrying out official duties at Anthony and Gbagada areas of Lagos over the last two weeks.
The company said it would prosecute the suspects as a lesson to debtors who become violent to their workers.
At Gbagada, four residents and others at large allegedly beat up Samuel Odukoya, while on a revenue drive in the community.
The residents were later arraigned before a Yaba Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos on charges of stealing, breach of peace and assault.
According to the prosecutor, Inspector Roman, on March 3, 2017, the accused persons – Jide Taiwo, Emeka Ndubisi, Anuoluwapo Odukoya, Blessing Aloysius and others who are still at large, “pushed down and beat up and punched Odukoya at No 20 Ifateludo Street, Ifako Gbagada Lagos.’
The prosecutor alleged that they also stole the sum of N27,000 from Odukoya while he was being manhandled.
They were also accused of stealing property of the Ikeja Electric.
Aloysius who lives at No 30, Diya Street, Ifako, Gbagada, was accused of illegally connecting electricity that was disconnected by the Ikeja Electric on March 4, 2017, an offence said to be punishable under Section 166 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.
The prosecutor said the offence amounted to stealing electric power.
However, the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Chief Magistrate, P.A Ojo, granted them bails in the sum of N50,000 each with two sureties in like sum.
He adjourned the case till April 5, 2017.
In the second assault case, a driver of Ikeja Electric, Gabriel Fapetu, was assaulted and injured while on cash drive at Otunba Onakoya Street, Mende, on March 13, 2017.
The men were arrested later by the police from the Anthony Police Division.
The suspects – Endurance Godfrey (22), Samson Ihonre (32) and Adeoye Ayodeji (30) were detained but released on bail the following day.
The Divisional Police Officer of the area, Abaniwonda Tokunbo, said the suspects would be charged to court on Monday.
