Police Arrests Individual Over Vandalism and Theft of Utility Equipment
Mzuzu Police arrest individual involved in the theft of items belonging to utility companies, urging the public to avoid illegal activities.
MZUZU, Malawi – In a significant breakthrough, the Mzuzu Police have apprehended Frank Manda, a resident of Mbaya Village, T/A Kabunduli, Nkhatabay District, in connection with the theft of utility equipment, writes Tionge Hara.
Acting on a tip-off, the police discovered a cache of items belonging to Escom, Northern Region Water Board, and MTL at Manda's residence in Mchengautuwa.
Paul Tembo, the Public Relations Officer for Mzuzu Police, revealed the recovered items, which include 20 litres of transformer oil, transformer spindles, 45.91 kilograms of copper wire, fuse elements, auto crosser parts, fuse link parts, transformer lugs, line taps copper, bus bar, and various other transformer accessories.
Additionally, MTL identified 34.4 kilogrammes of copper cable wires, while the Northern Region Water Board found ball valves, water taps, metre liners, stopcocks, and other water metre accessories.
The total value of the seized items exceeds MK5,000,000.00.
During the investigation, Manda confessed to purchasing the 20 litres of transformer oil from Joseph Gondwe, a former Escom employee.
Gondwe, born on November 27, 1994, and residing in Mwaulambia Village, T/A Mwaulambia, Chitipa District, has also been arrested for his involvement in illegal activities.
In light of this development, the Mzuzu Police urge the general public to refrain from engaging in activities that may lead to legal trouble.
The theft of utility equipment not only disrupts essential services but also has serious consequences for those involved in such crimes.
Law enforcement agencies continue to work diligently to protect public property and maintain the integrity of essential services.