17 people have been arrested in Mityana District over alleged vandalism and theft of electricity infrastructure.
The suspects currently detained at Wamala Region Police headquarters in Mityana were arrested in a joint operation involving the Uganda Police Force-UPDF and power distributors, Umeme in Mityana and Gomba Districts.
Rachael Kawala, the Wamala Region Police Spokesperson says that 14 of the suspects were arrested from Suremax Guesthouse in Mityana Town where they have allegedly been keeping the stolen electricity property.
According to Kawala, the security personnel recovered 20 Stayrodes, conductor wires, stay wires, 10 Umeme overcoats, and 18 stay insulators.
Other items recovered were 20 Turn tackles, 1 safety boot and 1 disconnection book, a CIU (yaka meter), a single cabin pick-up vehicle, and other equipment, all belonging to the power distributor, UMEME.
Kawala identified the suspects as Robert Mpungu, Peter Kasuja, Richard Bitamuzi and Nangobi Lydia. Other suspects include Charles Nsamba a Boda Boda cyclist, Joshua Damba a UMEME staff, Baker Bogere, Benard Sakwa, Joseph Bonny a former employee of UMEME, Bruno Katongole an electrician, UMEME driver Sebyooto Muwanga Ignatius, Grace Nakiboneka a manager at Suremax Guest house and Edward Golooba.
Kawala said the operations will continue in a bid to end theft and vandalism of electric infrastructure across the region.
The arrest of the 17 brings to 25 the number of suspects arrested in connection with alleged vandalism of electricity infrastructure in 3 operations in the districts of Mityana, Kassanda, Mubende, Kiboga, Kyankwanzi, Gomba, Nakaseke, Kakumiro, and Butambala.
Others were arrested climbing electric poles at Myanzi village on Mityana – Mubende highway in Kassanda District.
In June, Umeme Uganda Limited entered into a partnership with security agencies from 9 districts to conduct joint activities to crack down on the growing vice of electric infrastructure vandalism. The districts are Mityana, Kassanda, Mubende, Kiboga, Kyankwanzi, Gomba, Nakaseke, Kakumiro and Butambala.
According to Umeme, vandalism of electric installations has cost the company 3.6 Billion Shillings since the beginning of the year.