Two jailed for vandalism and theft of ESCOM conductors; As the vice continues to affect ESCOM’s operations

* Eight-year jail term on Manson Simbeye and six years for Patrick Mpepu

* The conductors that were stolen and vandalised were meant for a health facility at Mazamba in Mzuzu

* The public is encouraged to report any suspicious activities of vandalism through the police or by calling Toll-free number 847 on TNM/Airtel

* ESCOM has have a reward system for those who provide information leading to the apprehension of vandals

Maravi Express

Barely two week after three men were sentenced to 10 years imprisonment each in Mulanje for vandalism of Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) transformer and theft of its underground cables, two more men have been jailed to eight and six years in Mzuzu.

They were found guilty of vandalism, theft and possessing ESCOM’s aluminium conductors, valued at K6 million and in its report, the power utility service providers’ public relations officer quotes Police prosecutor, Betty Gondwe Msowoya as saying Senior Resident Magistrate Ashford Harawa delivered the eight-year jail term on Manson Simbeye and six years for Patrick Mpepu earlier this week.

The accused persons had pleaded not guilty to the charges, hence there was a full trial on Mwepu for theft and possession of stolen ESCOM items and Simbeye for vandalism and theft charges — contravening section 45(4)(a) and (b) of the Electricity Amendment Act of 2024.

“On antecedents, I told the court that the conductors that were stolen and vandalised were meant for a health facility at Mazamba, which was denied power supply in that period. The convicts’ actions also undermine the country’s efforts to develop infrastructure,” she said.

In mitigation, Simbeye asked for lenience citing many family obligations whereas Mpepu also asked for mercy, saying he would be unable to repay a loan he took from a financial institution while in jail.

On April 23, 2024, Mzuzu Police arrested Simbeye, Mpepu and three other suspects, who the court acquitted for insufficient evidence, on suspicion of having committed the offences in Mchengautuba.  

ESCOM has lost K4 billion in revenue and replacement costs in the last two years due to theft and vandalism. The corporation registers cases of vandalism every day across the country.

In the Mulanje case two weeks ago, Senior Resident Magistrates’ Court passed the sentence on Gift M’mangisa, Geoffrey Patrick and Afiki Charles to 27 months for conspiracy, 18 months for theft and 10 years for vandalism and they have since started serving their sentences, running concurrently at Mulanje Prison.

They committed the offences in Chiradzulu District in August 2024 and the case was eventually transferred to Mulanje. The long jail term was a deterrent enough considering that the offences were pre-meditated as well as that the act of vandalism affected power supply to Nguludi Hospital and businesses.

In July, two men from Balaka District, Patrick Malikebu (34) and Lonjezo Magaleta (27) were sentenced to seven years imprisonment with hard labour by Zalewa Magistrate Court for being found guilty of being possession of ESCOM assets.

They were arrested on July 14 at Zalewa police checkpoint as they attempted to transport stolen ESCOM copper cables they vandalised in Mwanza and Ntcheu.

In April, two other men were sentenced to two-and-a-half-years imprisonment in Lilongwe following their conviction for possessing stolen electricity conductors at Kasiya in the district while in Mzuzu, Police arrested five people in Sonda for alleged theft of property belonging to ESCOM.

Worrying rampant theft of equipment for government’s power utility company continues despite pleas to the public to stop the uncalled-for vandalism and in response to the ongoing challenges, ESCOM Chief Public Relations Officer, Kitty Chingota calls on the public to collaborate with the corporation in combating these crimes.

“The fight against vandalism is crucial for the economic development of our country. We urge everyone to join hands with ESCOM in protecting our infrastructure, which is vital for reliable electricity supply and overall economic progress.”

Chingota encouraged the public to report any suspicious activities of vandalism through the police or by calling Toll-free number 847 on TNM/Airtel, saying they have a reward system for those who provide information leading to the apprehension of vandals.

“We know that your vigilance and cooperation can make a significant difference in safeguarding our electricity equipment and support the nation’s development agenda.”

The Electricity Act was amended this year and passed by Parliament in cognizance that vandalism is tantamount to economic sabotage as ESCOM loses millions of money in replacing stolen equipment.

According to the amended Act, Section 45 (1) reads: ‘A person who carries on in any manner an activity for the supply of electricity in contravention of this Act, or fails to carry out any order or decision of the Authority or a licensee made or given under this Act, commits an offence and is, upon conviction, liable to a fine of K100,000,000 and imprisonment for twenty years’.

Section 45 (2a and 2b) adds that any person ‘who connects electricity to premises without written authorization of the licensee or disturbs or tampers with any electricity meter or other measuring instrument or apparatus commits an offence and is, upon conviction, liable to a fine of K100,000,000 and imprisonment for ten years’.

Section 45 (4) provides a non-fineable penalty of 30 years for vandalism and possession of equipment stolen from a licensee, the section reads: 

(a) if found in possession of equipment stolen from a licensee; or 

(b) damages, destroys, or vandalizes any electricity installation equipment or apparatus, commits an offence and is, upon conviction, liable to imprisonment for 30 years.

Section 45 (5) provides enhanced penalty of MK150,000,000 and 25 years imprisonment if a licensee’s employee or former employee is involved in the illegal connection or meter tamper. 

The Section states: ‘Without prejudice to the right of a licensee to recover for illegal consumption of electricity, including costs associated with such recovery, a person, being an employee or former employee of a licensee, who:

(a) connects or assists a person to connect, electricity without authorization of the licensee; or 

(b) disturbs or tampers or assists a person to disturb or to tamper, with an electricity meter or any other measuring instrument or apparatus, commits an offence and is, upon conviction, liable to a fine of K150,000,000 and to imprisonment for twenty-five years.—Content by ESCOM PR office; editing by Maravi Express