Three suspects were on Thursday arrested and vandalised Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) equipment worth millions recovered after a raid at a scrap metal yard in Juja Kiambu, County.
In an intelligence-driven operation, Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations’ Operations Branch, raided a scrap metal yard in Matangi area, where Several vandalized Kenya Power transformers, rolls of aluminium conductors and assorted materials were recovered.
A further search in nearby homesteads led to the recovery of more vandalized apparatus, where a container full of steel bracings obtained from critical electricity transmission towers were recovered.
Johana Thuku and Stephen Githitu were arrested at the premises and arraigned at a Thika court for the offence of vandalism.
The duo also faced additional charges of handling stolen energy equipment.
Also Read: Kenya Power: 5 Managers, 13 Officers Grilled Over Countrywide Outages
A third suspect, Patrick King’ori, was arrested later in the evening as he tried to escape the detectives’ dragnet.
More arrests are expected to be made in the coming days as detectives pursue the suspects’ accomplices who are still at large.
The arrest of the three suspects comes barely a month after President Uhuru Kenyatta, announced a moratorium in scrap metal trade due to runaway vandalism, targeting critical national infrastructure.
Also Read: Scrap Metal Dealers Who Vandalised SGR Gauge Blocks in Mtito Andei To Face Terror Charges
“The level of greed by unscrupulous traders out to make illegal profits by vandalizing critical installations has hit alarming rates, threatening the country’s economy,” DCI said on Friday.
On January 11, Kenyan homes and businesses were plunged into darkness after a high voltage transmission line connecting the capital Nairobi collapsed, in what was suspected to be high-level vandalism.
Also Read: Uhuru Bans Scrap Metal Dealings Over Vandalism
In November last year, two suspects were arrested after allegedly vandalising railway gauge blocks in Mtito Andei derailing SGR train for hours.
The Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) George Kinoti said the suspects, Michael Mbevi and Nicodemus Kyove, would face economic sabotage and terrorism-related charges.
So far, five suspects have been arrested and arraigned in court.
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