Meru, Kenya – Saturday, August 16, 2025: Officers attached to the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) have arrested two suspects linked to a massive Meru illegal electricity connection syndicate in Igembe North and South.

The suspects, identified as Japhet Kirimi (alias Senator) and Ibrahim Gituma, were apprehended after KPLC investigators uncovered an extensive underground electricity network that had been operating for years.

According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the illegal network powered over 21 unauthorized borehole pumps, supplying water to miraa farms in Mpinda village and surrounding areas of Kabuitu, Kanyakine, Muthucine, and Mangala.

Shockingly, none of the connections were metered, meaning farmers accessed electricity without paying KPLC.

The DCI confirmed that the illegal connections caused the failure of 14 transformers, leading to replacements estimated at KSh21 million.

“In addition, the revenue lost through the illegal supply of power to the 21 boreholes over the last four years is valued at approximately KSh90.7 million,” DCI said in a statement published on their official website.

This highlights the severe economic impact of power theft not just on KPLC but also on Kenya’s wider energy sector.

The two suspects are currently being held in police custody and will be arraigned in court once investigations are complete.

KPLC has in the past raised concerns over widespread power theft in Kenya, warning that illegal connections pose serious safety risks including electrocution, transformer damage, and blackouts.

For more on Kenya’s growing electricity fraud cases, check out our coverage of recent KPLC crackdowns.