Four people have been arrested in Lilongwe for impersonating Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) employees and conducting illegal electricity connections.
The four are Dick Paul, Davi Nyirenda, Kelgon Phonela and Maluwa Mzumala
They were arrested on Saturday by Police with help from community members.
The allegedly stole ESCOM meters, twin wire and spans of aluminum conductors in Area 36, Kandikole, Chigwirizano, Chinsapo and Mitundu which they were using for the connections.
According to ESCOM, police recovered two ESCOM meters, one Customer Interface Unit, a safety belt, climbers and two ESCOM uniforms from the suspects.
In a similar incident, police arrested Samuel Banda, Benjamini Moyo and Frank Zulu three weeks ago in Lilongwe for allegedly impersonating ESCOM employees and soliciting money from members of the community in Area 36 on the pretext that they would use it to buy bare conductors and twin wire for constructing a low voltage line.
In another case, the First Grade Magistrate’s Court sitting at Monkey Bay in Mangochi District found George Jailosi with a case to answer for allegedly vandalizing a transformer for ESCOM at Chamtulo Trading Centre in Mangochi on February 26 2023.
The offences contravene section 45 of the Electricity Act and the Penal Code and can attract a lengthy custodial sentence.
ESCOM has since condemned these acts of vandalism, saying they undermine efforts to increase access to electricity and improve service delivery.
ESCOM encourages members of the public to report cases of vandalism through tollfree number 847 and any nearest police station.
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