* We condemn such acts of vandalism as they undermine service delivery to households, health establishhments, water treatment plants, business enterprises and the education sector
* Vandalism is a serious offence that attracts a maximum jail term of 30 years with no option of paying a fine
By Duncan Mlanjira
As cases of vandalism keep hitting Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM), a new case in Lilongwe is so bizarre unknown people just cut down a powerline pole without stealing any item on the vandalised infrastructure.
ESCOM reports that at around 3:00am this Friday morning they discovered the cut down pole at Area 42 in Lilongwe City and managed to restore power supply to the affected areas by 1:20pm.
“Investigations are underway to trace the vandals,” says ESCOM management in a statement. “We condemn such acts of vandalism as they undermine service delivery to households, health establishhments, water treatment plants, business enterprises and the education sector, among others.
“Vandalism is a serious offence that attracts a maximum jail term of 30 years with no option of paying a fine,” says ESCOM while encouraging the public to report vandalism on ESCOM infrastructure by calling toll-free number 847 both Airtel/ and TNM.
ESCOM is losing a lot of money from replacement costs of vandalised infrastructure with over K4 billion lost in revenue in the past two years.
The corporation registers cases of vandalism every day across the country that prompted the Ministry of Energy to amend the Electricity Act that imposes still jail term punishments without option of fine.
Many people have been meted with stiff punishment in the amended Act but still the malice continues.
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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.
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