Nima resident remanded after being charged for stealing ECG power cables

A resident of Nima, Geoffrey Obuobi, has been charged with three counts, including stealing and causing unlawful damage. He has been remanded into custody by an Accra Circuit Court presided over by Bright Samuel Acquah.

The suspect was arrested on June 13, 2023, by some residents of Nima with 1x185 copper cables valued at approximately GH¢1,900.00 in his possession as he attempted to escape.

According to the prosecution, his arrest followed the rampant stealing of ECG copper cables from an ECG transformer in Nima, which often resulted in power outages in the community, prompting the service provider to replace the cables.

After his arrest, Obuobi was handed over to the Nima police and later referred to ECG for investigation.

"The complainant, Francis Quansah, is a staff member of the Electricity Company of Ghana Roman Ridge District, while the accused person, Geoffrey Obuobi, is an unemployed resident of Nima. The Accra East District of ECG has been experiencing rampant stealing of electrical cables from their transformers in Nima and its environs. On June 9, 2023, some copper cables were stolen from an ECG transformer at Nima, and they were replaced to restore electric power to their customers.

"On Tuesday, June 13, 2023, the complainant and a team of technicians went to work on the same ECG transformer. After they left the site, the accused person approached the transformer with a cutter and started cutting the core cable, 1 × 185 copper. An alarm was raised, and the accused person was apprehended by people in the neighborhood with the ECG core cable, 1 × 185 copper, valued at GH¢1,900.00 in his possession as he attempted to flee," stated the facts of the case as shared by the prosecution.

In his caution statement, Obuobi denied the offense and was arraigned before the court on Monday, June 19, 2023.

During the court proceedings on Monday, he pleaded guilty to the charges and explained that he is a scrap dealer who happened to come across the copper cables while passing by.

The court remanded him into custody, and he is scheduled to reappear on Friday, June 30, 2023.

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