On 20 November 2018, a Nanyuki court handed Naftaly Kaimenyi Kithinji a stiff sentence after finding him guilty of vandalism and unauthorized disconnection of electricity. The main count carried 10 years in prison or a fine of KSh5 million, while the second count attracted six months in jail or a fine of KSh50,000.
Kithinji was arrested in 2016 at the Timau area in connection with the offences and later arraigned before Nanyuki Principal Magistrate Hon. Gichimu. The case added to Kenya Power’s wider crackdown on crimes affecting the electricity network.
Kenya Power’s Security Services Manager, Maj. Geoffrey Kigen (Rtd), welcomed the ruling and said it would discourage similar conduct. He said the company would continue surveillance of the network so that service quality to customers is not compromised.
“The sentence should serve as a warning to the public that interfering with the power distribution system is a crime punishable under the law. We will not relent on the fight against vices that compromise our services to customers,” he said.
The company said it had stepped up security operations countrywide to deal with vandalism, theft of electricity, illegal connections and other crimes that undermine supply. On Monday, one person was arrested at Zimmerman for vandalism, while another suspect was nabbed in Uasin Gishu County while unlawfully disconnecting customers at the Elgeyo border.
Kenya Power said such offences create electrocution risks, damage equipment and reduce the reliability of electricity supply. The company also pointed to an earlier case in October 2017, when a man was sentenced to death by the Nyeri Principal Magistrate Court for vandalising a transformer and violently robbing customers.
