Police in Mangochi have arrested 40-year-old Joseph Simeon for allegedly vandalizing Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) Limited and Southern Region Water Board (SRWB) properties in the lakeshore district.
Mangochi Police spokesperson, Amina Daudi, said the law enforcers have been receiving reports from ESCOM of incidents of unknown criminals vandalizing transformers in the district.
“During this period, several transformers in locations such as Namiyasi, Mosiya, Mgundaphiri, Kalonga, and Mpondasi were tampered with, resulting in the theft of cables and fuses,” she said.
Daudi said community members, especially those who had vacated and abandoned their houses due to flash floods within the township, had also been complaining about break-ins and theft of water board meters, rim locks, water pipes, and sinks.
Daudi said the taxi operator implicated Simeon as being the one who sent him to deliver the items to a minibus driver who intended to transport them to Blantyre.
The police eventually arrested Simeon on the same night at his house.
ESCOM and SRWB officials have since identified some of the stolen items.
Simeon will appear in court to face charges of burglary and theft.
The suspect hails originally from Kabvumbwe Village, Traditional Authority Kaphuka in Dedza.
Simeon_Nubbed for being suspected of burglary and theft
