A former employee of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC), Lawrence Okeke, was arrested in Onitsha, Anambra State, for allegedly manipulating prepaid meters.
He reportedly replaced original sensors with fake ones, bypassing the meters and causing them to under-record customers’ electricity consumption, resulting in revenue loss for EEDC.
The company’s Meter Monitoring Team was said to have discovered the alleged fraud during routine inspection prompted by a whistleblower, according to EEDC’s Head of Corporate Communications, Emeka Ezeh, in a statement on Thursday.
At one of the customer’s premises visited at Bida Road, Onitsha, Ezeh said the team discovered that the meter was bypassed, and the original meter sensor removed and replaced with the fake one.
While the team interrogated the customer who already admitted their findings, the customer reportedly gave out the identity and contact of the individual that performed the bypass as Lawrence Okeke, who happens to be an ex-staff of EEDC.
Immediately, Lawrence was tracked and arrested, and handed over to the Central Police Station, Onitsha, where he is currently assisting the Police in their investigation.
According to Ezeh, Lawrence Okeke, who hails from Adogba Village in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State, was disengaged from EEDC in December 2020 “for gross misconduct.”
“The apprehension of the suspect by the team is a great breakthrough in the organization’s fight against meter bypass and energy theft.
“It is believed that by the time the investigation is concluded, a lot of atrocities already perpetrated by the likes of Lawrence on our network will be unraveled,” Ezeh said.
He, however, warned customers who engage in meter bypass to stop the practice immediately, as the company has intensified its monitoring activities and will take stern action against those caught.
He also alerted customers to be wary of former EEDC staff who fraudulently pose as current employees, extorting money and perpetrating illegal activities that hinder the company’s efforts to provide quality services.
Ezeh urged customers to report any suspicious activities to the authorities, ensuring a safe and reliable electricity supply.
“Customers should always be mindful of who they are engaging as staff of EEDC and be sure of their identity, as a lot of people out there carrying out illegalities, parading as staff of EEDC are not in its employ,” he warned.
While commending the whistle blower for giving the information that led to the arrest of Lawrence, Ezeh further urged customers to feel free to report any suspected case of meter bypass and energy theft through the company’s whistle blowing platforms (08146026678 or [email protected]) or other channels, assuring that their identities will be protected.
