The First Grade Magistrate’s Court sitting at Mponela in Dowa District has sentenced three men to 6 years imprisonment each for vandalizing Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi ( ESCOM) transformer.

The convicts are Kashon Kasitomu, 33 from Chimphepo Village, Traditional Authority Mtema in Lilongwe District, Desmond Phiri, 30, from Phimbi Village, Traditional Authority Mkaya in Mangochi District, and Stephano Nkhata, 26, from Bilare Village, Traditional Authority Lukwa in Kasungu District.

They were formally charged with the offence of vandalism of ESCOM apparatus which is against section 45, (2),(d) of the Electricity Act.

Mponela police prosecutor Sub Inspector Benedict Mathambo, narrated before presiding Magistrate that on August 18th, 2021 at around 23:00 hours, residents from Madisi Trading Center experienced abnormal blackout and immediately inquired from ESCOM Distribution Supervisor from Mponela who together with residents and officers from Mponela Police station rushed to where they planted ESCOM transformer near Water Board offices.

After reaching at the said transformer, they saw four unknown people running away and the team tried to entangle them to no avail and on the same night at around 14:00 hours, a team of Police officers met two men, Desmond Phiri and Stephano Nkhata who looked stranded looking for transport.

They were arrested after being found with two nuts and rubbers suspected to have been stolen somewhere else and true to that, ESCOM officers recognised them as people from the said tempered transformer.

Thereafter, a third suspect was also arrested and in court, the trio pleaded not guilty to the charge levelled against them which prompted the state to parade four witnesses who proved the case beyond reasonable doubt.

Prosecutor Mathambo, prayed for a stiff punishment to earn them a lesson and deter others with similar evil intentions.

Passing sentence, First Grade Magistrate Amran Phiri concurred with the state’s submissions and sentenced the three to 6 years imprisonment each with hard labour.