Man jailed 5 years over illegal power installation
Sentenced. Shamil Mukasa alias Balinaine. Photo by Juliet Kigongo
What you need to know:
- It is stated that Mukasa did the installation without a permit from Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) nor did he have the authorization from UMEME to do what he did.
KAMPALA. The Standards Utility and Wildlife Court located at Buganda Road on Monday sentenced Shamil Mukasa alias Balinaine to five years in prison for illegally installing power to people’s residences.
Balinaine, 27, an electrician by profession was convicted and sentenced for installation and interfering of electrical wiring without a permit, obtaining money by false pretence and conspiring to commit a misdemeanour.
“This court has learnt that counts one and two are rampant in Kampala. Installing electricity without permit and also interfering with the electrical installation endangers the lives of the unsuspecting consumer,” the trial Grade One Magistrate Stellah Maris Amabirizi stated.
She noted that there is need to curb this kind of behaviour so that the lives of the consumers are protected.
“The accused is a young man who should have been aware that what he did was bad, he has been risking the lives of consumers. Considering the period spent on remand and the circumstances of this case. This court shall sentence the convict to 5 years imprisonment,” Ms Maris ruled.
She however informed Mukasa of his right to appeal against the sentence within 14 days from ruling date.
Prosecution
Mukasa and others still at large during the month of June, 2017 at Kaliiti-Kaddu Estates in Wakiso District installed electrical extension power line to Kaddu Estates without first obtaining an installation license thus interfering with the electrical installation.
The indictment further stated that Mukasa with the intent to defraud obtained about Shs7 million from Ms Lydia Bako by falsely pretending that he was constructing a power line to her residence.
It was also stated that Mukasa and others still at large conspired together to commit a misdemeanour by constructing electricity power line.
Court documents indicate that Bako asked Mukasa to get her residence connected to electricity which he accepted to do at a fee of Shs8.5 million.
However Bako and her neighbours collected Shs7.5 million which they handed to Mukasa and then delivered 13 poles which he planted at the site with some electric wiring but failed to complete the work.
It is stated that Mukasa did the installation without a permit from Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) nor did he have the authorization from UMEME to do what he did.
