Fake REG workers turn power poles into targets as five suspects are arrested

By Prince Boris Cyubahiro.

Electricity thieves in Kigali are posing as energy workers to gain residents’ trust before cutting power cables, police have warned after five suspected members of the group were arrested in Gasabo District.

The suspects were arrested between August 21 and September 9 following complaints from residents in Jali Sector, where households and parts of the area had been left without electricity after cables were cut.

Police said the men had equipment and clothing that helped them appear to be legitimate workers of the Rwanda Energy Group (REG), including pliers, safety boots, cash-power meters and belts used to climb electricity poles.

They allegedly used the items to convince residents that they were carrying out electricity-related work before cutting and stealing cables from power infrastructure.

The case has raised concerns over the growing risk posed by criminals who exploit residents’ trust in utility workers while targeting infrastructure that communities depend on.

CIP Wellars Gahonzire, Rwanda National Police spokesperson for Kigali City, urged residents to verify the identity of anyone claiming to be a REG employee, particularly those working on electricity poles or cables.

“Residents should report such people to the police whenever they see them. It has been established that some of them are thieves who steal electricity cables, causing power outages,” Gahonzire said.

He warned that prolonged power outages can have consequences beyond inconvenience, including creating conditions that criminals may exploit to commit other offences in affected areas.

Police also cautioned residents against people asking for money while promising to connect them to electricity at unusually low prices.

“These are also fraudsters whose intention is to steal from residents. Report them whenever you see them so that they can be arrested and held accountable,” Gahonzire said.

The warning extends to traders dealing in electrical equipment. Police said people who buy such materials without establishing their source risk being treated as suspects if the items turn out to have been stolen.

“Anyone found with electrical equipment who cannot explain where they obtained it will also be treated as a suspect and held accountable,” Gahonzire said.

The theft of electricity infrastructure is not only a property crime but can also disrupt essential services for entire communities.

Article 182 of Law No. 68/2018 of August 30, 2018, provides for penalties for the intentional destruction or damage of infrastructure, including electricity and communication facilities.

A person convicted under the provision faces between three and five years in prison and a fine ranging from Rwf3 million to Rwf5 million.

Police are urging residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious people working on electricity infrastructure rather than confronting them themselves.