NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 6 — Two men have been sentenced to 10 years in prison each, or fined Sh5 million apiece, by the Ndhiwa Senior Principal Magistrate’s Court for vandalising electricity equipment and unlawfully handling power infrastructure.
David Ochieng Lang’o, the first accused, was arrested in July 2025 in a joint operation involving Kenya Power security personnel and officers from Migori Police Station.
He was found with 10 jerricans of oil believed to have been siphoned from vandalised transformers.
Lang’o pleaded not guilty, but the court ruled that the evidence presented was sufficient to convict him.
The second accused, Godwin Omondi Oduogi, was arrested in April 2025 by Ndhiwa DCI officers after unlawfully disconnecting a customer.
Investigations by Kenya Power and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) also found him in possession of a transformer fuse.
He too denied the charges but was convicted.
Rampant vandalism
In its judgment, the court noted the rising cases of vandalism and power outages in Ndhiwa Sub-County, stressing the heavy toll such crimes have on communities and local businesses.
The sentences, the court said, are intended to serve as a strong deterrent to others targeting electricity infrastructure.
Kenya Power’s Security Services Manager, Major Geoffrey Kigen (Rtd), welcomed the ruling, terming it justice for customers and enterprises affected by power disruptions.
“This ruling reinforces our commitment to protecting the electricity infrastructure that serves our people. We thank the Judiciary and law enforcement agencies for their continued support in ensuring justice is served,” Major Kigen said.
He urged the public to report suspicious activities around power installations, warning that vandalism endangers livelihoods and community safety.
Kenya Power reiterated its commitment to working with security agencies to combat theft and vandalism, safeguard the national grid, and ensure reliable electricity supply to homes and businesses.
