By Varstine Nasuuna
Kampala: Buganda Road Court has Tuesday morning sentenced a man to five years in prison over fraud and illegal electricity connections.
Shamil Mukasa, 25, was sentenced by the Standard Utilities and Wildlife division at Buganda Road after he pleaded guilty on three charges of installation of electrical wiring without a permit, interference with electrical installation and obtaining money by false pretence. Magistrate Stella Amabilis said in her ruling that “The convict deserves a deterrent sentence so as to curtail the crimes that have taken root in many parts of the country. This court has learnt that there are rampant electrical interferences which have even resulted into revenue loss to the government of Uganda.” She added that “Considering the need to save the electricity consumers who innocently die due to your illegal installations, I sentence you to five years imprisonment!” She also noted that “Mukasa has a right to appeal against the sentence within 14 days if he is not satisfied with the court ruling.”
Prosecution led by Charlotte Khyohairwe alleged that Mukasa and others still at large in June 2017 at Kaliti –Kaddu estates in Wakiso district, installed electrical extension power to Kaddu Estate without first obtaining an installation permit issued by the Electrical Regulatory Authority (ERA). ERA communications officer Stella Nakibuka said that the government in 2018 lost over shs1Bn to illegal power connections and vandalism.
It is also alleged that between the months of June and August the same year and district, the convict, without lawful permission of ERA or the licensee, engaged in the activity of extending power line to Kaddu Estate in a manner which interfered with electrical installation and would cause danger to persons or property. Prosecution further alleged that Mukasa between June and October the same year and in the same district, with intent to defraud, obtained over Shs7m from Lydia Bako by falsely pretending that he was constructing a power line to her residence whereas not.
