Bangladeshi in court over power theft

By BEVERLY PETER
A 56-YEAR-OLD Bangladeshi charged with power theft for allegedly tempering with PNG Power metre last year in Port Moresby appeared in a Waigani Committal Court on Tuesday.
Police prosecutor Sgt Chris Iga told the court that police investigation into the case against Abdul Hamid of Dhaka in Bangladesh was completed.
Iga, when asked by Magistrate Paul Puri Nii to explain how the alleged tempering was done, said Hamid changed the industrial power connection into his store at Hohola to domestic connection in order to pay the power bills at a lower cost.
“There are two types of power connections in which PNG Power connect power to households and industrial sites.
“Domestic connections rate is lower than the industrial and that metre that calculates rates which was installed at Hamid’s store to calculate for industrial was changed to calculate for domestic.”
Nii said the offence was new to him and would like to see police evidence.
He adjourned the matter to June 14 to check on the police file for the interest of justice and fairness.
PNG Power revenue improvement project team comprising of risk assessment expertise conducted an internal investigation and alleged that Hamid’s retail outlet (Rahamtullil Alamin Holding Ltd) in Hohola four had been operating for years without paying the actual bill because the metre was tempered with.
Acting PNG Power chief executive officer Obed Batia made a formal complaint to the police and Hamid was arrested.
Last Oct 29, the team installed a new electricity credit metre, sealed it and put a notice saying ‘do not open’.
They went back to check after 10 days and found that the seals were allegedly broken and the credit metre was changed and reported the matter.