Engineer law court in Nyandarua has sentenced a man to 2 years in prison or a fine of KSh200,000 for selling potato chips cooked using transformer oil.
Elijah Mwangi Muthoga who operates a hotel at Ol Kalou trading centre was arrested in December 2021 while in possession of 11 litres of transformer oil which was used to cook chips at his hotel as well as repackaged for sale as popcorn cooking oil.
His co-accused Zachary Mwangi Gitau, from whom he obtained the transformer oil, was handed 10 years’ imprisonment or a fine of KSh10 million for vandalizing a 100kva transformer contrary to section 169 (1) of the Energy Act of 2019.
“This ruling is a big boost to the Company’s effort to fight transformer vandalism as the stiff penalties and jail terms will deter vandals,” said Kenya Power’s acting Manager for Security Services Maj. Paul Nyaga (Rtd).
The ruling comes at a time when Kenya Power has heightened surveillance of the network through partnerships with other security agencies and the National Government Administration Officers in order to stamp out illegal activities and safeguard electricity assets.
Vandalism of transformers is one of the leading causes of power outages.
In addition to undermining the quality and reliability of the electricity supply, transformer vandalism poses a risk of electrocution and exposes the Company to financial losses in lost sales and the cost of replacing the transformers.
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