Three employees of Kenya Power and a customer of the company have been arrested by investigative bodies in the Eastern African nation for alleged fraudulent activities against the company.
A statement issued by the company said two of the employees were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly obtaining underground electricity cables illegally with the intent to make an illegal connection.
According to the company, Ephantus Mwara Kauma and Peter Rukwaro Kamweru are suspected to have obtained over 150 meters of underground cables under false pretences from the Kenya Power depot in Donholm with the intention to connect a customer to electricity.
“The two employees are believed to have conspired with the customer, who is still at large, to make the illegal connection after receiving a bribe,” the statement said.
The suspects are expected to appear before Kibera Law courts.
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Efforts are underway to apprehend the customer involved in this incident.
If found guilty, the two suspects would be charged with committing an economic crime and would be liable to pay a minimum of 5 million shillings or serve a minimum jail term of ten years or both.
Another employee, Eutychus Jonkwan, was arrested and detained at Makongeni Police Station on Friday 7th August for reportedly stealing copper windings.
The suspect is currently out on bail.
The company said Saul Bulimo, a Kenya Power customer, was also arrested on Monday 10th August for allegedly making an illegal reconnection to a maize milling factory in Ruai, after his electricity had been disconnected owing to an outstanding bill.
According to Kenya Power, it has stepped up efforts to address rampant cases of illegal connections, vandalism, bypassing of meters and fraud involving payment of bills which eat into the company’s bottom line, and in the case of illegal connections and vandalism, pose serious threats to public safety.
To achieve this, the company is working closely with security agencies including the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the National Police Service (NPS), to increase surveillance on the national electricity network.
The company has, also, established a special response team called the Field Enforcement Unit (FEU) that is working closely with these security agencies to promptly address cases of illegal connections and fraud.
Through the efforts of the FEU, the company has made more than 630 arrests since July 2019 and sacked more than 100 employees for abetting various illegal activities related to theft of electricity and fraud.
Source:www.energynewsafrica.com