Nakuru Man Jailed For 30 Years For Vandalising KSh 60k KPLC Equipment

• A man in Njoro, Nakuru county, was found guilty of destroying and possessing a KPLC electric conductor
• The Nakuru Magistrate's Court condemned Edwin Ngeno to 30-year imprisonment with an alternative of a KSh 15 million fine
• The KPLC installations and properties are among the government's critical infrastructure manned by a special police unit

Nakuru - A man is going to be confined in jail for the next 30 years after being found guilty of vandalising Kenya Power and Lighting Company's (KPLC's) critical infrastructure.

Edwin Ngeno however has the option of parting with KSh 15 million as a fine to escape the jail term.

His wrongdoing was to vandalise a 600-metre electric conductor valued at KSh 60,000.

He was apprehended on July 26 while in possession of the said conductor at Stoo Mbili township in Njoro sub-county within Nakuru county.

On his arraignment, Ngeno was charged with three counts; vandalism of energy equipment and infrastructure, stealing energy equipment, and unlawfully handling of energy equipment, contrary to section 169 of the Energy Act of 2019.

To preside over the case was magistrate A.P Ndege.

KPLC property among government's critical infrastructure

The constant disruption of power supply and the recent nationwide blackout have always been attributed to such vandalism acts.

It informed the decision by former Interior CS Fred Matiang'i to list KPLC's installations among the government's critical infrastructure in a gazette notice.

This meant that officers attached to the Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit (CIPU) would be deployed to offer full-time surveillance and protection of the utility firm's installations.

The culprits undertake such vandalisms to sell the materials to scrap metal dealers.

Ban on scrap metals business

To curb the increased cases of vandalism, and the thriving illegal scrap metal businesses, former president Uhuru Kenyatta sanctioned an immediate ban on the sale of scraps before leaving office.

While issuing the directive in January 2022, Uhuru cited increased cases of vandalism, and economic sabotage, which he noted was treasonable.

He said his administration would formulate guidelines and policies to ensure the materials do not come from vandalised public infrastructure that taxpayers struggled to put up.

"As of today, we will no longer allow the export or buying and selling of any scrap material until we have put in place proper guidelines. We will not allow destroying that which for growth of our country to benefit a few individuals' pockets. The law is very clear," directed the president.