The Tamale District Court 1 has warned against illegal power connections by sentencing Wahab Shiraz to six months in prison with hard labour, without the option of a fine.

Presiding over the case, His Worship Derrick Annan also imposed a fine of 500 penalty units, equivalent to GHS 6,000, to be paid to the state.

In addition to the prison term, the court ordered Shiraz to pay GHS 10,096.55 to the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo), representing the estimated value of the electricity he had stolen.

The court stipulated that if Shiraz fails to pay the GHS 6,000 fine, he would face an additional seven months in prison, potentially extending his total jail term to 13 months.

Shiraz, a resident of Bulpella in Tamale, pleaded guilty to the charge of “interference with electricity distribution system” under Rule 41(2A) and 1(6) of the Electricity Supply and Distribution Rules 2005 (L.I. 1816). His illegal activities were uncovered during NEDCo’s Mass Revenue Mobilisation Exercise in December 2023.

After receiving an illegal connection notice and failing to report for investigation, Shiraz’s case was referred to the Tamale police, leading to his prosecution and conviction.

Following the sentencing, NEDCo’s legal representative, Ms. Esther Yirbom, urged the public to avoid illegal power connections and to take advantage of NEDCo’s resolution options.

“Suspects who cooperate by paying for stolen power and signing a bond of good behaviour might face reduced penalties if their cases go to court,” she highlighted.

Ms. Yirbom emphasised that while these measures do not absolve the offense, they could mitigate the severity of punishment.

She warned against illegal power connections to avoid severe consequences similar to those faced by Shiraz.