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Crime & Punishment of Friday, 14 April 2023

Source: Michael Akrofi, Contributor

3 in police grips for preventing ECG officers from disconnecting illegal connection

The men as they tried to stop the ECG officials from doing their work The men as they tried to stop the ECG officials from doing their work

Three men are currently in police grips for preventing Electricity Company of Ghana Limited (ECG) officials from disconnecting an illegal power supply.

A fourth suspect and owner of the disconnected meter, Odoi Darko, is currently on the run.

The Eastern Regional General Manager of the Electricity Company of Ghana, Ing. Mrs. Sariel A. Etwire, disclosed this on Wednesday.

She said a three-member team from the Asesewa District of the Company, on Wednesday afternoon went to Otweso, near Nkurakan in the Yilo Krobo District of the Eastern Region to conduct a monitoring exercise on some customers disconnected last Thursday.

Upon reaching the town, they detected that a separate meter with an 802.77 Ghana cedis debt disconnected alongside a ‘mother meter’ from pole last Thursday had been illegally removed and reconnected with a new service line.

The meter was attached to another one owned by Odoi Darko which he used at his Welding Shop which had a debt of over 4,000 Ghana Cedis.

The team therefore approached Odoi Darko and demanded that he discloses the identity of the contractor who installed the meter, which he refused. The team then decided to disconnect the meter from pole again.

In a bid to disconnect the illegal meter, Odoi with assistance of the three resisted, preventing the ECG team from carrying out their official duties.

The Nkurakan Police was then called to the scene to help the disconnection but the four further prevented the police and struggled with them in the process.

The Police Officers then retreated to the office and called for reinforcement from the Koforidua Central Police Station.

A team was brought in to help apprehend the three, but Odoi fled the scene.

The suspects are currently in police custody pending investigations for prosecution.

Since the start of the operation 20-20 by the ECG, the Eastern Region Revenue mobilisation teams have operated in a conducive atmosphere.