On 9^th January 2024, the Standards, Utilities and Wildlife Court convicted and sentenced Bonde Godfrey to Five (5) years imprisonment. The accused, a resident of Namutumba A zone, Namutumba Town Council, Namutumba District was charged with interference with electrical installations, contrary to Section 85 (1) (a) of the Electricity Amendment Act, 2022.

According to Court records, on 8^th February 2023, Bonde Godfrey was found siphoning oil from a transformer in Kibaale Village in Namutumba District. The residents arrested him with Two (2) jerrycans into which the oil had been siphoned and a hose pipe used to siphon oil; and handed him over to Namutumba Police station from where he was later transferred to Kampala.

The Chief Magistrate, Her Worship, Kamasanyu Musenze Gladys, sentenced and convicted the accused Bonde Godfrey to Five (5) years imprisonment. While sentencing the accused, the Chief Magistrate highlighted that offences of Electricity Vandalism were on the rise and had proven costly to the state and people deprived of Electricity due to such actions. Bonde Godfrey’s actions affected the residents in the rural community that were connected by the Rural Electrification Agency and the sentence given to him was in consideration of the offences committed.

The ERA Prosecutor, Ms. Kyohairwe Charlotte, noted that Electricity Vandalism posed a huge threat to the country’s economy and increased the cost of doing business. Therefore, the accused deserved a deterrent sentence to make other culprits stop vandalism.