Court jails two men for vandalism of power infrastructure

The Ndhiwa Senior Principal Magistrate’s Court has sentenced two men to 10 years in prison each or to pay a fine of Sh5 million for offences related to vandalism of electricity equipment and unlawful handling of power infrastructure.

The first accused, David Ochieng Lang’o, was arrested in July 2025 during a joint operation.

According to the authorities, Lang’o was found with 10 jerricans of oil believed to have been siphoned from vandalised transformers.

Although he pleaded not guilty, the court found the evidence against him sufficient and issued the sentence.

The second accused, Godwin Omondi Oduogi, was arrested in April 2025 by Ndhiwa DCI officers for unlawfully disconnecting a customer.

Joint investigations by Kenya Power’s security team and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations revealed that he was also in possession of a transformer fuse.

He pleaded not guilty but was convicted and sentenced.

In its judgement, the court noted growing concerns over frequent vandalism and power outages in Ndhiwa Sub-County, saying the sentences were meant to deter similar offences and demonstrate the seriousness of crimes targeting electricity infrastructure.

Kenya Power’s Security Services Manager, Maj. Geoffrey Kigen (Rtd) welcomed the ruling, saying it affirms justice for customers and businesses affected by vandalism.

“This ruling continues to reinforce our commitment to safeguarding power infrastructure serving our people,” he said.

“As Kenya Power, we thank the Judiciary and the law enforcement agencies for their continued support in ensuring that justice is served in such cases.”

Major Kigen urged the public to report suspicious activities involving electricity installations.

When vandalism occurs, it affects our livelihoods and the safety of our communities,” he said.

Kenya Power stated it will continue working with security agencies to curb vandalism and electricity theft in efforts to protect the integrity of the national grid.