Kenya Power said yesterday it arrested seven persons countrywide, including two staff, for alleged power theft and vandalism of equipment over the weekend.
This followed intensified security operations to weed out vandals and illegal electricity connections, the near monopoly electricity distributor said.
Robert Githige, the firm's driver at Nairobi West, was charged in court yesterday for allegedly failing to account for 36 street lights out of the 79 he had collected from Likoni Road stores for delivery to Dagoretti depot. He was released on a cash bail of Sh300,000 and surety of Sh500,000 pending mention of the case on April 10.
Another staff, Andrew Lusaba, was arrested together with four others, including former staff James Muli, for vandalism of two 50 KVA transformers in Thatha in Machakos county. The allegedly stolen equipment was intercepted as they were being transported to an unknown customer in Meru.
Vitalis Wanyama in Kitale and Linus Alweny in Uasin Gishu were also arrested for cutting recklessly cutting down trees resulting to damage of a power line and poles, and for removing LV fuses from transformers, respectively.
“All services regarding supply of electricity should be sought at Kenya Power offices. Members of the public should be aware that handling stolen goods is an offence punishable under the law,” Kenya Power's security services manager Geoffrey Kigen said in a statement. “All suspicious persons should be reported to the police or Kenya Power offices for further action."