Villagers help nab electricity thieves

THE community in Masi and Kerefa villages outside Goroka have removed 15 illegal electricity connections.
PNG Power Ltd said it was the first time that a community had taken the initiative to remove illegal connections.
Usually PNG Power would get police help to do that.
The villagers also revealed the names of the electricians and contractors who took money from them for the illegal connections to be made.
PNG Power manager investigations and protective services Donbosco Mruwari said an illegal connection was a criminal offence.
Mruwari said PNG Power had prosecuted many people throughout the country who had been stealing electricity.
“Those customers, their agents and PNG Power employees who assisted in carrying out those illegal connections are equally guilty of committing that crime and thereby are to be arrested and charged criminally and prosecuted,” Mruwari said. The disconnection exercise began last Tuesday and will continue indefinitely in other villages in the Gehemo council ward.
“PNG Power must arrest people doing illegal connections and others will stop too,” Village Court magistrate Barry Goso said said.
“We will help them and check all the houses in our council ward for illegal connections and remove them.