The three suspected thieves
The Prosecution and Revenue Protection Units of the Power Distribution Services (PDS) in the Ashanti Region have arrested three persons including a middle-aged woman for engaging in the illegal sale of meters in Kumasi.
The suspects; Aisha Abubakar, 39, Tampoli Bako, 37, and Paul Asolo, 29 are in custody while the fourth suspect, Osman Abubakar is currently on the run.
Ashanti Regional Public Relations Manager for PDS, Erasmus Kyere Baidoo, who confirmed the arrest explained that officials of the prosecution unit followed up on a tip-off that one person was selling meters.
They then feigned interest to buy the meters from Tampoli Bako and the team arrested him when he turned up at a location in the Kumasi metropolis.
Upon interrogation, the suspect led the team to his supplier, Paul Asolo who also took the team to the residence of Aisha Abubakar.
The officials retrieved a total of 13 meters with ECG embossment after they conducted a search at the residence of Aisha Abubakar where she sold for Ghc 250 each.
Mr. Kyere Baidoo expressed worry over the increasing cases of illegal sale of meters in the region despite continuous sensitization of the public to desist from engaging in such activities.
“This has been going on for a very long time in this region and perhaps elsewhere too. We have started some exercise, capturing some of these meters, but the irony of it is that, as soon as we capture a particular area, the next time we come round, those areas have been flooded with meters. It is an unending exercise. And everywhere this thing is ongoing”, he said
He indicated that the installations of such illegal meters are not captured in the company’s database and it is difficult to bill users of those meters at the end of the month.
The situation he added affects the company in terms of commercial loses.
According to him, the PDS is currently battling with 15% in commercial loss to such activities.
He cautioned persons behind the distribution of such meters to stop.
He called on the police and the judiciary to arrest and give hefty sentences to the perpetrators to serve as a deterrent to others.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
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