The search carried out by eight different groups started on Monday with an aim to curb down rampant power theft. UMEME official piling out the illegal wiring found during their operation in Bwaise Kampala. (Photo by Wilfred Sanya) THEFT CRIME
UMEME limited in a joint effort with the Uganda police yesterday carried out an operation in Bwaise and surrounding areas and arrested twelve power theft suspects.
The search carried out by eight different groups started on Monday with an aim to curb down rampant power theft.
Six suspects were arrested on Monday and twelve on Tuesday and taken to Kawempe police station. The groups traversed the area checking the status of the installations to establish whether the transactions were normal.
According to the UMEME metering services manager, Kampala East and North East Engineer John Nuwamanya, up to 26% of the power supplied to the area is being dispatched by people who are either on direct or indirect supply. John Nuwamanya (left) the metering service manager for Kampala East and North East with Addul Shaffic and Paddy Ismail suspects arrested in the UMEME operation in Bwaise at Club 1 Ten to curb down the theft of electricity in Kampala. (Photo by Wilfred Sanya)
“This causes financial leakage of up to shs2bn per month thus affecting the country’s economy and business at large,” Nuwamanya said.
He added that this leaves UMEME as a company in a position that it can’t clear its customers’ invoices from transmission points.
The suspects caught at club one-10 in Bwaise were Abdul Shaffick and Paddy Isma who were found at the club premises. These were also found with shisha packed in bottles as noted by one of the police officials at the scene.
Nuwamanya noted that a service disconnection notice was issued to the owners of the club on Monday but acted outside the directives therein.
In Bwaise Katoggo zone, the operation group found out that the owner of JP Complex illegally supplies power to a number of houses around.
One of the individuals found at a building site who claimed to be the head of construction was arrested after he couldn’t disclose the landlord’s contacts and whereabouts.Nuwamanya noted that they faced resistance from some of the communities which prompted them to work in conjunction with the police for the locals would comprehend in the presence of police.“Suspects will be taken to Utility court at Buganda road court and be charged in accordance […]
