Zomba Police Arrest Two for Tampering with ESCOM Property

Police in Zomba have arrested two teenagers on suspicion of tampering with electricity infrastructure belonging to the country’s power utility, ESCOM.

Zomba Police spokesperson Patricia Sipiliano has confirmed the arrest and identified the suspects as Frank Dumba, 19, and Ayami Maideni, 18.

According to Sipiliano, the suspects were detained following an incident at Nazinomwe Village in the Chinamwali area, where engineers were carrying out an ongoing project involving power line installation and the commissioning of a new transformer.

Local residents raised the alarm after hearing cries for help close to the construction site. Community members rushed to the scene and found Dumba receiving an electric shock as he attempted to interfere with the transformer. He was reportedly found with a hacksaw and a metal-cutting hand tool, suspected to have been used in the attempt.

Maideni, believed to be Dumba’s accomplice, fled the scene immediately after the shock incident. However police later tracked him down through intelligence-led enquiries and placed him under arrest.

The pair have each been charged with damaging public utility property and will appear before court in the coming days after investigations are finalised.

Southern Region Police authorities have reiterated a warning against tampering with electricity infrastructure, stressing that such acts not only violate the law but also endanger lives and disrupt essential services.