Man to hang for vandalising transformer, stealing

A man has been sentenced to death by a Nyeri court for vandalising a Kenya Power transformer and violently robbing customers.

James Kimangu was handed the sentence by Principal Magistrate Harrison Adika who found him guilty of the offences that he committed in 2013.

The court heard that Mr Kimangu committed the offence near Kimathi University in Nyeri town together with others not before the court.

GUILTY

He was charged with several counts of robbery with violence, vandalism of a transformer, sabotage, unlawful disconnection of power supply, stealing and handling stolen goods.

The case was investigated by the Kenya Power security team together with the police officers.

The electricity distribution firm’s Security Services Manager, Major Geoffrey Kigen (Rtd) welcomed the judgment saying it will serve as deterrent to the crimes.

“We will not relent on the fight against vices that compromise our services to customers. In addition to posing the danger of electrocution, crimes such as vandalism and illegal connections reduce reliability of power supply and result in damage to equipment, among other losses to our customers,” said Mr Kigen.

The judgment was delivered at a time when Kenya Power has heightened security operations countrywide to track down vandalism, theft of electricity, illegal connections and other crimes undermining the quality of electricity supply to customers.

Last month, Stanley Kiiru Gitau, a repeat offender, was sentenced to 15 years in jail or a fine of Sh6 million by a court in Kibera.

He faced charges of vandalising a transformer. His three other co-suspects were jailed for 10 years each with the option of a fine of Sh5 million.