The Osu District Magistrate's Court, presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh, has sentenced Nana Osei Afriyie to a fine of 50 penalty units (GH¢600) for stealing a meter belonging to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and indulging in illegal connection. In default, Afriyie will serve 18 months in prison with hard labour. He is further bonded to be of good behaviour for one year or in default serve three months in prison. He pleaded guilty to the charges. Presenting the facts, Mr Paul Assibi Abariga, the prosecutor, told the court that Afriyie was unemployed and resided at Kokomlemle in Accra. In July 20 II, he helped the complainant to unblock the meter the latter inherited from his late mother at the Roman Ridge District office of the ECG, telling him he (Afriyie) worked with the ECG. The complainant subsequently received monthly electricity bills to convince him that Afriyie was a member of staff of the ECG. Mr Abariga said in January 2012, Isaac Yaw Mensah, a witness in the case, contacted the complainant about his (Mensah's) intention to get an ECG meter. The complainant then contacted Afriyie, who promised to secure Mensah a meter at a cost of GH¢250, for which GH¢ 150 was immediately paid to him. Three days later, Afriyie installed an old credit meter he had stolen from an abandoned store at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Mensah's house, connected it to power and the balance of GH¢ 100 paid to him. When the complainant demanded a receipt from Afriyie, he said the meter would be transferred from the Roman Ridge District to Avenor and later to the Mallam District of the ECG before a receipt could be issued. The complainant then became suspicious and lured the accused to the ECG Roman Ridge Office, where he was arrested on January 31, 2012.