Chinsapo Residents Apprehend Water Meter Thief

In a strong show of community cooperation, residents of Chinsapo have successfully apprehended 23-year-old Gift Masula after he was found in possession of 11 stolen water meters.

Masula, who hails from Village Kuthebe, Traditional Authority (T/A) Thomas in Thyolo, was intercepted by alert community members after he was spotted with the items, which had been illegally removed from various households in the area.

The theft of water meters has become a growing concern for both residents and the Lilongwe Water Board (LWB), as it disrupts reliable water supply and results in significant financial losses.

The suspect was immediately handed over to authorities and is currently in police custody. He is expected to appear in court soon to face charges related to the theft and vandalism of water infrastructure.

LWB Acting CEO, Maclenan Nyang’wa, has applauded the Chinsapo residents for their civic responsibility. He noted that protecting water infrastructure is a collective duty, as vandalism leads to high Non-Revenue Water (NRW) water that is produced but lost before reaching consumers.“This timely intervention by the Chinsapo community is highly commendable and demonstrates the power of collective action in protecting essential public services,” Nyang’wa said.

He further urged customers to continue putting measures in place to secure their water meters.

The incident comes at a time when the Board and the Malawi Police are intensifying efforts to curb infrastructure sabotage, which affects thousands of households across the city.

Lilongwe Water Board continues to urge the public to report any suspicious activities involving water installations to the nearest police station or by calling their toll-free line on 253.