Man Arrested In Balaka For stealing ESCOM Transformer

A Man aged 26 years old has been arrested in Balaka for theft.

Malawi Police in Balaka have arrested Madalitso Gama, the suspect mastermind of last month’s foiled attempted theft of an Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi [ESCOM] Transformer in the district. The suspect hails from Mchiwa village T/A Mabuka in Mulanje District and on 4 March 2021 is when he was arrested.

Balaka Police station Spokesperson, Felix Misomali confirmed the arrest of Gama ESCOM faults operator, who allegedly fled from the scene at Khwisa Trading Centre.

Meanwhile khwisa trading Centre residents had alerted the police after becoming suspicious with the actions of the suspects who had then, disconnected to transformer.  According to the reports by the police and ESCOM security personnel revealed that Gama allegedly hired a Toyota Dyna registration number MJ226, in Blantyre before travelling to khwisa to commit the crime.

Misomali urged members of the community to always verify identities of ESCOM employees and their actual motives when they see them tampering with ESCOM property. He also further said ‘’people can visit any nearest ESCOM office or police station to establish if such people are genuine ESCOM employees and if indeed they have been sent by ESCOM’’.

Gama has, alongside other suspects, Aubrey Chidothi and Dickson Lexon Chipoya, who were arrested on the scene, have since been appearing before Balaka First Grade Magistrate’s Court. The three suspects are answering charges of attempted theft and malicious damage which can attract a five year jail term, according to the penal code.

Chipoya is aged 34 and is from Chinamwali village, T/A Kuntumanje,Zomba  whereas Chidothi is 38 years old and hails from Nkando Village, T/A Juma in Mulanje