Monrovia – A Nigerian identified as David Lee has been arrested in Central Monrovia for allegedly illegally connecting over 500 customers to the national power grid.
Report by Kennedy L. Yangian [email protected]
Spokesman of the Liberia National Police (LNP), Moses Carter, told reporters on Tuesday that the suspect was caught red-handed on the electric pole doing his usual connections when the police were doing their regular patrol at about 7:00 pm on October 17.
He was arrested on Center Street near the Total filling station allegedly carrying on the act. Suspect Lee charges each customer US$40 monthly as electricity bill.
Carter told reporters that Lee has been charged for the alleged commission of theft of property, economic sabotage, fraud on the internal revenue of Liberia and criminal trespass which are in violation of Chapter 15, subchapter B, D, & F Section 15.51, 15.20 of the New Penal Law of the Republic of Liberia.
Police investigation established that the Nigerian national was contracted by a man identified as Johnny to be identified to carry out the theft.
Police puts the estimated loss to the Liberia Electricity Corporation at US$350,000.
Lee, the police said, used his bedroom which he had ‘criminally’ connected to the electric pole as the base for distribution.
The police retrieved several tools and equipment, including huge quantity of wires belonging to the LEC from his room and several other apartments in Center Street.
Speaking on the issue of power theft, the Communications Director at LEC, Winston Bedell, told reporters that power theft remains a major challenge in improving the energy sector in the country.
He said the LEC loses up to 60 percent of its revenue to power theft. He warned would-be perpetrators of prosecution with stern punishment if found guilty.