May 31, 2021
By: James Kamara-Manneh
Police have nabbed three men at the height of stealing Electricity Distribution Supply Authority Transformer cables as a notorious act of sabotage in providing stable current to citizens and residents in Freetown and environs. Among three two have been identified as staffers of the EDSA and confirms public suspicion that insiders have been colluding with miscreants in the public to commit the heinous crime.
The three thieves now in Police net have been identified as Mohamed Kargbo ‘alias Collabo’, Alhaji Kargbo of Kuntolor, Issa Bangura ‘Buya.’
Electricity cable theft has been elevated to a national security issue by Energy Minister Kanja Sesay and the leadership of the Sierra Leone Police, Dr. Inspector General Andrew Sovula.
According to the Police report that on the 15th May,2021 a report was filed that 450 yards of electrical cables, which is believed to be property of EDSA has been allegedly stolen by the arrested suspects.
During interrogation, Alhaji Kargbo one of the suspects confessed that he was assisted by two EDSA workers. Immediately, the Police arrested one of the alleged EDSA workers by the name of Mohamed Samura of Teneba Road Kuntoloh. The other fellow by the name of Gibo is at large, yet to be apprehended.
Also, the suspect further identified the receiver Issa Bangura of 33 City Road Wellington, who was also arrested and at the same time a search warrant was executed at his place of business, where some EDSA Cables were identified by complainant to be properties EDSA.
The Police report also states that upon receipt of the report D/Insp Makai Bangura ( JPO crime),and suspects including complainant ( Mohamed Kargbo) visited the crime scene where the complainant and some stakeholders identified eight(8) electrical poles within the community which electrical cables were stolen .
Several snap shots were taken. During the course of the investigations suspect admitted to the allegations and identified one Pa Issa of City Road Wellington Freetown, as a receiver whose shop searched based on a Police warrant and some of the cables were discovered and identified by complainant to be the stolen cables.
According to the communication wing from EDSA, it is believed this unscrupulous act is one of the main reasons for power outages in certain communities and has further created lots of misconceptions within the energy sector and the public.
EDSA is however calling on communities to tighten their vigilance and report any suspected individual (s) or act of vandalism on EDSA properties. Citizen arrest has been suggested as an option open to members of the public in dealing with a national crime of grave implication.