ECG will prosecute recalcitrant customers to the later- Manager

Accra-Ghana, April 28, GNA – Mr Paul Asibi Abariga, General Manager in charge of Prosecution, Electricity Company of Ghana, says the company would pursue all legal avenues to recover the debt owed by public and private customers.
“Pay all that is due ECG or else we would come after you. Recalcitrant customers would be prosecuted to the letter to set an example to the other customers,” he said.
Mr Abariga was speaking to the GNA after Daniel Kwakye, Hotel Operations Manager of Hillburi Hotel, Aburi appeared before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly consuming power to the tune of GHC665,180.09 from November 30, 2020, to March 24, 2023.
Kwakye, charged with Intentionally interfering with suppliers’ Distribution system and stealing, pleaded not guilty.
The court presided over by Mr. Samuel Bright Acquah admitted Kwakye to bail in the sum of GHC50,000 with one surety.
The prosecution led by Mr Abariga said Kwakye had made payments regarding the debt owed by the Hotel and had presented the receipts in court.
According to the prosecution, they were ready with the disclosures for the trial to commence.
The matter has therefore been adjourned to May 8, 2023.
The fact of the prosecution is that the complainant in the case was Stephen Bassie Taylor, a Technician Foreman at the Revenue Protection Unit of ECG, Head office.
The prosecution said on March 28, 2023, at about 1200 hours, ECG Revenue Protection Auditing Team on a field exercise at Hillburi Hotel at Aburi detected that the hospitality facility had connected power illegally.
The team then reported the matter to the EGC office.
It said the complainant was then called upon to proceed to the scene and verify the “state of bypass.”
The prosecution said photographs were taken to that effect and the illegal source of power was disconnected.
It said on April 11, 2023, an official complaint was made against Kwakye.
The prosecution said the complainant, accompanied by ECG police investigators, pointed out the “by-passed underground cable.”
“Four prepaid meters with identification numbers P63282580, P632910, P6329711, and P6329712 were found installed at the premises. The investigation led to the arrest of the accused person.”
“Investigations revealed that, from November 30, 2020, to Mach 24, 2023, though there were four meters for power supply to the facility, the accused person who was in charge of the facility at the time bypassed all these meters that supplied power directly and therefore making the facility consume power illegally without paying for same,” the prosecution said.
It said a bill of GHC 665, 180.09 was surcharged to the Hillburi Hotel management and a part of the payment of GHC365,180.08 has been made by the accused.