Kirimi ‘Senator’ and accomplice Gituma charged over underground power network that drained KPLC revenue and destroyed 14 transformers
Written by Were Kelly
A major crackdown on illegal electricity connections in Meru County has led to the arrest and arraignment of two men accused of running a sophisticated power theft syndicate that has cost the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) millions of shillings in losses.
The suspects, identified as Japhet Kirimi, popularly known as Senator, and his accomplice Ibrahim Gituma, were arrested in Mpinda village, Igembe North, following a targeted operation mounted by detectives attached to KPLC’s security and investigation unit.
According to investigators, the duo is believed to be the masterminds of an extensive underground electricity network that was secretly connected to the KPLC grid. The network illegally supplied power to more than 21 borehole pumps used to irrigate expansive miraa farms in Mpinda and the neighboring areas of Kabuitu, Kanyakine, Muthucine, and Mangala. None of the boreholes were registered or metered by KPLC, denying the utility company lawful revenue.
The illegal syndicate is said to have been in operation for nearly four years, causing extensive damage to infrastructure and draining public resources. Investigations revealed that the clandestine connections had burnt out 14 transformers, forcing KPLC to undertake costly replacements valued at Sh21 million. Beyond infrastructure damage, the company estimates that it has lost over Sh90.7 million in revenue from the unmetered supply of electricity during the period.
Following their arrest, the two suspects were arraigned before the Maua Law Courts, where they faced multiple charges under the Energy Act, including unauthorized laying of electrical apparatus, theft, and the illegal trade or improper use of electrical energy.
When the charges were read out, both Kirimi and Gituma pleaded not guilty. The court granted them release on a Sh20 million bond each, with an alternative of Sh10 million cash bail, supported by two sureties of the same amount. The case is expected to proceed to trial as investigations continue to establish the full extent of the network and to pursue other individuals believed to be part of the scheme.
Authorities described the syndicate as one of the most elaborate electricity theft operations uncovered in the region in recent years. “This was not just a case of small-scale power theft. It was an organized criminal enterprise that deprived the company of huge revenues, endangered lives, and undermined reliable service delivery to law-abiding customers,” said one investigator involved in the crackdown.
The National Police Service (NPS) has since issued a strong warning to members of the public against engaging in illegal electricity connections. In a statement, police cautioned that unauthorized connections not only expose communities to electrocution and fire hazards but also lead to widespread blackouts and destruction of costly infrastructure.
KPLC has urged members of the public to report suspicious electricity connections and assured that surveillance and enforcement operations will be intensified across the country to safeguard the integrity of the national power grid.
