Police in Thyolo have arrested four suspects after they were caught dismantling a transformer in the district, thwarting an attempted theft of copper windings.

South East Police Spokesperson Edward Kabango has confirmed the arrests but said he would provide more details later.

Meanwhile, Pilirani Phiri, Chief Public Relations and Communications Officer for the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM), has commended security guards from Eastern Produce Malawi (EPM) Kumadzi Estate and local community members for intercepting the vandals.

According to Phiri, the suspects had pulled down and dismantled a 100 kVA transformer before community members and estate security guards apprehended them.

He has reiterated that vandalism of ESCOM infrastructure remains a direct assault on national development. 

“Vandalism forces the Corporation to divert scarce resources to replace transformers instead of expanding grid access to more Malawians,” he said.

The incident adds to a growing list of attacks on power infrastructure. In January this year, criminals killed a security guard at Malamulo Hospital who, along with others, was guarding a water pumping system located near a transformer.

ESCOM says it is currently facing a shortage of transformers due to repeated vandalism, a situation that continues to disrupt power supply and slow down rural electrification efforts.

The Corporation is urging communities to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity around power installations.