Criminals have vandalized an Escom transformer worth K2.2 million at Bula Village, in Traditional Authority Makwangwala in Ntcheu.
According to Ntcheu Police Public Relations Officer Sub-inspector Hastings Chigalu, the incident occurred on Wednesday night.
He said people in Bula village and other surrounding areas initially thought it was a normal scheduled loadshedding by Escom when the power abruptly went off on that night.
“The users later realized that the electricity transformer was no longer visible on Escom pole,” said Chigalu.
Police visited the scene and found that thieves had dismounted the transformer and stolen most of its valuable parts.
The police spokesperson said the theft has demoralized people of the area who danced all night when electricity was introduced to the area under the Malawi Rural Electrification Program (MAREP).
“People of Bula are now back to square one, due to one or two selfish individuals, real enemies of development who wanted to enrich themselves at the expense of many but have left the communities with no choice but to walk long distances in search of electricity services,” he said.
Meanwhile, Police investigations have been intensified to trace and arrest the culprits.
