Two electricians have been arrested for allegedly tampering with an electricity meter in a house at Osu in Accra.
The suspects, identified as Daniel Yartey and Simon Vinkor, are said to have adjusted a meter belonging to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to make it record less than the actual amount of power consumed.
A third suspect, James Myers, also an electrician, is said to be on the run.
The two suspects were arrested last Thursday by an ECG investigations team upon a tip-off by the occupant of the house, who is an accountant. His name is being withheld for security reasons.
Investigations
A source at the ECG told the Daily Graphic that the three had approached the accountant at his residence and informed him that they could adjust the main switch on his ECG meter to read less than the actual power consumed.
He said the suspects then demanded GH¢6,000 as their fee.
According to the source, the accountant negotiated with the electricians, who finally agreed to accept GH¢3,000 and a mobile phone each.
The suspects eventually carried out the illegal activity on the premises last Wednesday, after which the accountant offered them GH¢2,800 and promised to pay the rest of the amount and also give them the phones the next day.
Arrest
The accountant, who was not comfortable with the deal, subsequently reported the matter to the ECG.
About 2:30 p.m. the next day when the suspects showed up at the accountant’s house for the remainder of the money, ECG officials who had laid ambush in the house apprehended them.
James Myers, however, managed to escape.
Refund
Upon interrogation, they agreed to refund the amount they had collected the previous day.
They led the ECG officials to a bank (name withheld) where they withdrew the GHc2,800 and handed it over to the accountant.
The two were later handed over to the police, to whom they admitted the offence in their cautioned statements.
They will later appear before a court to answer charges on three counts of conspiracy to commit a crime, intentionally interfering with the ECG distribution system and defrauding by false pretence.
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