Justice Binta Murtala Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has struck out the criminal charges filed against Abuja-based property developer, Mr. Cecil Osakwe, following a plea bargain agreement with the Federal Ministry of Justice.
The Federal Government had, in March 2023, arraigned Osakwe on a two-count charge bordering on electricity theft. He was accused of tampering with electricity meters, resulting in a loss of N11 million in revenue. The alleged offence reportedly occurred at his property in Abuja.
The case was initially filed in November 2022, with the government presenting two witnesses before Osakwe sought a plea deal. As part of the agreement, dated July 1, 2024, Osakwe undertook the following commitments:
• To refrain from interfering with the properties of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC);
• To provide copies of the signed undertaking to the prosecution; and
• To ensure prompt payment of all outstanding and future electricity bills to AEDC.
At the resumed hearing on October 22, 2024, the prosecution, represented by Mamman Alibaba, applied to withdraw the charges, pursuant to the terms of the plea bargain.
Granting the application, Justice Nyako ruled: “It is hereby ordered as follows: That as requested by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, the charge be and it is accordingly struck out. That the defendant is hereby discharged.”
The case marks the end of the Federal Government’s prosecution of Osakwe over the alleged electricity theft.