ASABA, Delta State – In a landmark ruling that underscores Delta State Government’s tough stance against the destruction of public infrastructure, a High Court sitting in Asaba has sentenced one Emmanuel Sunday to two years’ imprisonment for vandalizing government property.
Presiding over the matter, Hon. Justice Onome Marshal-Umukoro of High Court 5, Asaba, found the accused guilty on a two-count charge of vandalism and intent to steal. Sunday admitted to damaging a section of the drainage system connected to the recently constructed Ebu Bridge along the Asaba–Ughelli Expressway.
Delivering judgment, Justice Marshal-Umukoro ordered that the two-year sentence be served concurrently. In a move that blends punishment with restitution, the judge ruled that Sunday would spend one year in prison, while the remaining year would be served as a non-custodial sentence—specifically, through mandatory community service. The convict is to clean the court premises in Ogwashi-Uku for the duration of the non-custodial term.
The ruling has drawn commendation from state officials. Speaking shortly after the verdict, the Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ekemejero Ohwovoriole, SAN, stated that the judgment reflects the Delta State Government’s commitment to holding vandals accountable and protecting public assets.
“This case sends a strong message that the government will not tolerate acts of sabotage against infrastructure funded by taxpayers’ money,” Ohwovoriole said. He disclosed that Sunday’s arrest was facilitated by a prompt report from the Honourable Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Ejiro Jamani, who had alerted the police upon discovering the damage.
The convict was arraigned under Section 7(1) of the Delta State Public and Private Properties Protection Law, 2018, which deals with the willful destruction of public property, and Section 395 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap C21, Vol. 1, Laws of Delta State, 2006, which addresses severing with intent to steal.
Commending both the judiciary and law enforcement for their swift response, the Attorney-General urged residents to take active roles in protecting public infrastructure, describing them as “investments for the collective good of all.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Mr. Ejiro Jamani, Commissioner for Environment, reaffirmed the government’s zero-tolerance policy on vandalism.
“Let this serve as a stern warning: government properties are community assets, not for personal exploitation,” he said. “Anyone caught defacing or destroying them will face the full wrath of the law.”
The case is widely viewed as a precedent-setting example of how the state intends to crack down on acts of sabotage and misuse of public infrastructure.
