By Hopeson Kafumbwa, Public Relations Intern
Offences of impersonating an Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) Limited employee, possessing stolen electricity assets, and illegal connection landed a Lilongwe-based man a 13-year jail term on Friday, January 24, 2025.
Lilongwe Senior Resident Magistrate, Bracious Blessusall Chanda Kondowe, convicted and sentenced Austin Aufi to 13 years imprisonment with hard labour after finding him guilty of the three counts. He pleaded guilty.
He was sentenced to 13 years for illegal connection, four years for being found in possession of stolen Escom assets, and eight years for impersonation. The sentences will run concurrently.
The 27-year-old, who cleared faults in Lilongwe while posing as an Escom technician, hails from Sumani village, Traditional Authority Mposa in Machinga District.
Lilongwe Police prosecutor, Damiano Mulaywenje Nyasulu, said Aufi pocketed K40,000 from a customer in Area 3 after clearing a fault in the name of Escom.
Nyasulu said the Lilongwe customer referred his neighbour, who also needed an electricity fault cleared, to Aufi.
“He then presented an identity card with a name resembling one of Escom’s employees hence the customer believed that he was indeed the company’s employee,” Nyasulu said.
Aufi arrived to clear the fault in full Escom gear while carrying a pair of climbers, safety belt, D iron, bolts, socket breaker, screw drivers, knife, gloves and tapes in a bag.
He identified the fault on a pole, fixed it then demanded K40,000 from the customer who eventually refused to pay.
The prosecutor said Aufi became angry after the customer refused to pay him and shouted: “kukhala ngati mwazolowera kugona mu mdima.”
Aufi climbed back to the pole and disconnected the electricity prompting the customer to report the matter to Escom Regional Security Officer, Labani Makalani, who eventually traced the convict after posing as a desperate customer.
Makalani eventually handed over Aufi to Lilongwe Model Police Station. He pleaded guilty to all three charges.
Nyasulu has since urged the communities to desist from tampering with Escom equipment as doing so is an offence.
Being found in possession of stolen Escom equipment and vandalising the same are offences that attract a maximum 30-year jail term with no option of paying a fine. This is according to the Electricity Amendment Act of 2024.
JAILED: Aufi