Monrovia – The Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) has expressed regrets over wrongly accusing and arresting the General Manager of Mamba Point Hotel, Chawki Bsaibes, for power theft.
Report by Al-Varney Rogers [email protected]
“In view of the findings of the LNP, the LEC regrets any inconvenience caused to the Mamba Point Hotel and its General Manager, growing out of the incident of the arrest and handcuff of Mr. Chawki Bsaibes in January of 2017 and therefore encourages the Mamba Point Hotel, Mr. Bsaibes and all other large consuming and other potential consuming customers to continue to be engaged with the LEC for the appropriate registration and utilization of its services in order to maintain cordiality between the LEC and the consuming public,” LEC said in a statement.
According to LEC, its decision stems from an investigation conducted by the Liberia National Police that cleared the hotel.
“After a thorough investigation, the Liberia National Police issued its report in which it concluded that the Mamba Point Hotel was registered with the LEC as a customer, paying for power usage but supplying the electricity services to its subsidiary under the sole name of “Mamba Point Hotel” instead of the subsidiary, Ocean View Residence,” the statement said.
LEC says it recognizes the consumption capacity of electricity services of Mamba Point Hotel and its subsidiary, together with all of its large power consumption customers, who are paying and have the capacity to make huge payments to the LEC, both of its operations and to provide affordable electricity to the consuming public.
The LEC added that a team has been established to conduct regular inspections and in the event of suspicion, to allow and permit the relevant authority of the Government of Liberia to take the necessary action(s), in keeping with its Statutory responsibility.
“The Management of the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) wishes to inform the Public that pursuant to its mandate to provide affordable electricity to the Liberian public and to safeguard its use, so as to, among other things, maintain such affordability, the Corporation in conjunction with the relevant Liberian authorities, is engaged in a robust exercise to ensure the provision of these services and the prevention of the theft of the services,” LEC said.
The Mamba Point Hotel located in the diplomatic enclave of Mamba Point was accused by the LEC for power theft early this year during a regular LEC inspection and its General Manager was subsequently arrested by the police.
The hotel was accused of defrauding the government about US$1 million monthly through theft.
The February discovery was the second time the hotel was booked for power theft. The first was in 2012, the LEC earlier said.
According to statistics, averages of 35 persons are arrested on a daily basis for power theft. Liberia ranks among one of the highest in the world in terms of losses, amounting to 47% of which 33% is attributed to power theft.