A former employee of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC), Lawrence Okeke, has been apprehended for tampering with prepaid meters belonging to EEDC customers.
According to EEDC’s Head of Corporate Communications, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, Okeke’s modus operandi involved replacing original meter sensors with fake ones, enabling him to bypass the meters and prevent them from accurately recording customers’ consumption.
The illegal activity resulted in significant revenue loss for the distribution company. The Meter Monitoring Team discovered the fraud during a routine inspection, following a tip-off from a whistleblower.
Okeke, who was disengaged from EEDC in December 2020 for gross misconduct, was arrested and handed over to the Central Police Station, Onitsha, where he is currently assisting the Police in their investigation.
EEDC warned customers against engaging in meter bypass and energy theft, stating that the company has stepped up its prepaid meter monitoring activities and anyone caught will face the consequences.
Customers are advised to verify the identity of EEDC staff before engaging with them, as some ex-staff may be posing as current employees to extort money and carry out illegal activities.
The company commended the whistleblower for providing information that led to Okeke’s arrest and urged customers to report suspected cases of meter bypass and energy theft through their whistleblower platforms.
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