BWB, police unite to combat crime

Blantyre Water Board (BWB) and Malawi Police Service have signed a pact to stop theft of the board’s property, illegal water connections and bypasses.
BWB chief executive officer (CEO) Robert Hanjahanja said in an interview after the signing of the agreement at the board’s offices in Blantyre on Monday that his organisation loses an estimated K500 million per month to illegal connections.
The CEO said in recent times, the board has lost its property such as pipes and meters to vandalism; hence, their decision to partner police to combat the crimes.

Hanjahanja warned people that they will face the long arm of the law if caught stealing or vandalising BWB property.
He advised those that illegally connected the board’s water to report for amicable settlement of matters.
South West Region Police Commissioner Ellobiam Banda said they were already working with BWB, but the pact was meant to cement their relationship.
BWB spokesperson Evelyn Khonje read out the joint statement between her board and the police which highlighted the rise in incidents of meter theft, bypassing of meters, meter tampering, tampering with pipes and fittings to make illegal connections.
She warned the public that with immediate effect, the police and the board have joined forces and will work closely to curb the vices.
Reads the statement in part: “Members of the public may wish to be informed that under Section 298A of the Penal Code, it is a criminal offence for any person to fraudulently abstract or divert to his own use or the use of any other person water from any pipes or apparatus.”
Khonje said the offences attract five years imprisonment. n