Police in Kisumu have apprehended two suspects in connection with the theft of Ksh3 million worth of energy equipment in the Manyatta Kona Maji area, in Kisumu County.
In a statement on Tuesday, September 23, the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) revealed that the two suspects allegedly received the stolen energy equipment from vandals and later sold it to individuals involved in unlawful connection of electricity in the county.
The stolen equipment includes steady bars, crossarm channels, rolls of stay wire, shackle insulators, aluminium conductors, stay plates, KPLC danger plates, bolts, cables, and others.
"The Kenya power security team, working in close collaboration with law enforcement agencies, has arrested two suspects linked to the theft of electricity infrastructure in the Manyatta Kona Area of Kisumu County," the statement read.
The energy infrastructure across the region has been a frequent target of vandalism, which has often resulted in power disruption, according to the company's security service manager, Geoffrey Kigen.
Kigen said that they will continue working closely with security agencies in the region to weed out more individuals involved in sabotaging energy infrastructure in the region.
According to the Energy Act 2018, individuals involved in tampering with electricity infrastructure in the country are liable to a fine of Ksh5 million or a five-year prison sentence.
KPLC has further urged the public to refrain from such illegal activities and report any suspicious activities to the company's nearest offices.
"The two suspects are already in custody, and this operation is a testament to our commitment to weed out all the persons who are involved in illegal activities within the network," Kigen stated.
"We thank the law enforcers for the support they have given us in our fight against criminal activities compromising the stability of the power supply and endangering lives," he added.
This comes four months after another man in the western region was slapped with a six-year jail term with an option of a Ksh10.2 million fine by the Kitale Law Courts after being found guilty of electric infrastructure vandalism.
In a statement on Tuesday, April 8, the KPLC confirmed that the man, who had a previous record of similar offences, pleaded guilty to vandalising energy infrastructure, stealing energy equipment, handling stolen energy equipment, and carrying out an electric installation without the necessary authorisation.
