The Blantyre Magistrate’s Court has fined four men K3.1 million (about $7 750) and slapped them with prison sentences for vandalising Escom transformers in Blantyre.
The four, Blessings Banda, Davies Molande, Carlos Mangwiro and Yohane Luscious, were charged with vandalising Escom transformers worth K1 090 558.00 and K500 000 in Chilomoni Township.
The accused persons denied the charges, but presiding senior resident magistrate Viva Nyimba found them guilty and convicted them.
The court learnt that the offences were committed on December 7 2012 and April 17 2013.
Nyimba slapped the four with a K425 000 fine each in count one of vandalising an Escom equipment and 15 months imprisonment each.
The four faced another fine of K350 000 each and 10 months imprisonment with hard labour in count two, also for vandalising Escom equipment.
The magistrate said the fines, totalling K3.1 million, are meant for repairs of the vandalised transformers.
He said the convicts will serve the sentences, subject to the High Court confirmation, separately , but are free to appeal within 30 days, starting from November 15.
Nyimba observed earlier that Escom has suffered greatly in terms of loss and said the oil drained from transformers is harmful to human consumption but the convicts have put lives of many at great risk.
“Some consumers use the same oil for cooking chips in the markets or along the streets. Escom need to do more civic education on this. The police also need to carry out intensive investigations to arrest those that buy oil drained from the transformers,” Nyimba said.
The magistrate said Escom also needed to consider installing more security features on transformers such as alarm power supply/security system or stand alone CCTV, access or cameras hidden in the power line.
