BENIN CITY-A middle-aged man suspected to be a serial cable thief has been electrocuted while attempting to steal some cables at Faith Street off Owina road, Benin City.
Corpse of the victim identified simply as Omoivie was found lying beside a High Voltage Distribution System (mini transformers) in the area, yesterday morning.
Residents said they believed the suspected cable thief was killed between 2am and 3am when they experienced power fluctuations in the area.
It was gathered that officials of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) were yet to connect residents in the area to the HVDS.
Some residents said many cables connected
They alleged that electric cable theft is rampant in the locality.
A landlord in the street, Okhuorabo Isaac, said they were surprised to see the body of the suspect when they woke up.
“We always bought cables for our transformers and they were stolen in this area.”
“We saw a boy lying down with a plier by his side” They stated.
Some sympathizers who were at the scene identified the suspect and said he was just released from prison after spending many months awaiting trial for cable theft.
They said the suspect was the eldest son of his family and has been a thorn in flesh of his mother.
However, officials of BEDC and policemen from Evbuotubu Police Station were at the scene to access the situation.
A staff of BEDC who pleaded anonymity countered reasoning of some residents that the victim might not have been killed by electric shock since his body was not burnt.
The BEDC staff explained that electricity flowed through the transformers even though it was not connected which made the suspect to be killed by induction.
“If it were a normal transformer, he would have been roasted and blackened. He was electrified because he was standing on a pole used for earthing while cutting the cable.”
Public Relations Officer of BEDC, Mr. Tayo Adekunle, confirmed the incident and said investigation has commenced into the incident.
