DCI detectives have arrested a suspected transformer vandal in Shianda, Kakamega County, believed to be behind a series of power infrastructure thefts that left villages in darkness.
The suspect, Alfred Hassan Bushuru, was linked to the crimes after officers recovered electrical equipment, copper windings, and other incriminating items from his home.
Authorities said the arrest brings to an end a nearly two-year manhunt for the suspect, whose activities had disrupted electricity supply across parts of Malava and surrounding areas.
“The long arm of the law has finally caught up with a notorious vandal whose appetite for electrical infrastructure has left many villages in Shianda, Kakamega County in the dark,” the statement read.
According to the DCI, Bushuru first came onto the radar of investigators on August 2, 2024, when detectives attached to the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) carried out a raid at his residence. Although he managed to escape at the time, officers recovered key exhibits.
“While the suspect managed to slip through the dragnet like an eel, he left behind a treasure trove of incriminating items,” detectives noted.
Items recovered during the initial operation included “assorted electrical equipment, a dismantled transformer, bundles of copper windings and several containers of transformer oil,” pointing to an organized vandalism operation targeting critical infrastructure.
Following his recent arrest, Bushuru led officers back to his homestead, where a fresh search uncovered more evidence.
“The search yielded a trove of incriminating evidence that suggests the suspect wasn't just a petty thief, but a ‘pro’ in the illicit trade,” DCI said in a statement.
Recovered items included KPLC meter cards, SIM cards, an electricity application form, and job cards bearing his name.
Investigators believe he is linked to “a wave of rampant transformer vandalism that has plagued Malava and its environs.”
Bushuru is currently being held at Kabras Police Station as detectives prepare to arraign him. Authorities warned that “vandalism is a direct attack on our economy” and vowed firm action against offenders.
The arrest follows revelations by Kenya Power and Lighting Company Board Chair Joy Mdivo that the company cannot account for over one million electricity meters nationwide.
Speaking on Radio Generation on April 7, KPLC Board Chair Joy Mdivo admitted, “we have over a million meters which we do not know where they are out of the more than 10 million installed nationwide,” citing theft, illegal relocations, and internal collusion.
She added, “sometimes Kenyans move, and they assume the meter is theirs, and they move with it,” noting some are used in illegal connections, complicating billing and tracking efforts.
