A staff of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC, Tanim Kehinde Tahiru, has been dragged before an Akure High Court over the death of his colleague, Adenola Sama.
The deceased was said to have been electrocuted at Jilalu Street, Ondo town in Ondo West Local Government Area of the state when Adenola allegedly switched on electricity while his colleague was carrying out a repair on an electricity pole in the area.
Tanim was arraigned on a three-count charge of negligence and manslaughter as well as attempt to destroy evidence.
According to the prosecution counsel led by Barrister Charles Olafimihan, the accused person was alleged to have switched on the electricity current at BEDC control room when the deceased was rectifying some electrical faults at the sub-station transformer after obtaining permission from the accused person who was then the operator through his supervisor.
He was also alleged of tearing the log book in which the permission granted to the deceased to repair the fault was recorded.
An eyewitness at the scene, Joseph Oyebade, who testified before the court, stated that he met the deceased and the accused person at the scene when he arrived there and that the accused person had left soon thereafter with the intention of going to put off the electricity in the area from their office.
According to him, the deceased had decided to climb the pole after receiving a certain call and muttering, “it seems the light is off” climbed the pole to start rectifying the fault.
The witness, however, stated that he could not ascertain whether the call he received from the BEDC office told him that the light was off before he climbed the pole.
He further told the court that the deceased suddenly fell to the ground and was unconscious as all medical attempts made to rescue the deceased proved abortive as he gave up the ghost.
Under cross examination by the defence counsel, Barrister Abdulquadri, the witness admitted that the deceased was not putting on any protective glove, boot, clothing or safety belt when he climbed the pole and attempted to join the wires.
The case was subsequently adjourned till April 24, 2019 for continuation of hearing.
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