ZESCO RECORDS UNPRECEDENTED ARRESTS & CONVICTIONS IN
VANDALISM CRACKDOWN
A security operation jointly carried out by ZESCO Limited and the Zambia Police Service, has led to the arrest and detention of 32 suspects in just 24 hours.
In a major breakthrough in Ndola, security teams acted on intelligence and launched a coordinated operation along the Ndola – Kapiri Dual Carriageway, where suspected vandals had been targeting power lines.
The operation, carried out on 22 July 2025, led to the arrest of 29 suspects—including men, women, and minors, some as young as 15 years old who were found actively digging and cutting live ZESCO copper cables using various tools.
The other three suspects were apprehended on 21 July 2025 bringing the total number of those arrested to 32.
Meanwhile, in Lusaka, two individuals, namely Edward Chingozhi and Fortune Mwanamuchende have been convicted by the Subordinate Court of the First Class for Lusaka District, presided over by Principal Resident Magistrate Phiri. The duo was charged and convicted for malicious damage to ZESCO property, after being found guilty of vandalizing energy infrastructure.
The court imposed a seven (7) year sentence with hard labour on each of the convicts, who have since been committed to a correctional facility to serve their sentences.
These convictions send a strong message that acts of sabotage against national infrastructure will not go unpunished.
Other serious cases recorded across the country on 22 July 2025 include:
• Lusaka West: Copper windings valued at K277,409.67 stolen from an unwelded
315KVA PMT.
• Chilenje: Armoured cable theft worth K5,618.04.
• Sandton City, Chibombo: ABC MV cable worth K15,650.00 stolen.
• Luanshya: HT cable theft valued at K40,600.08.
• Kitwe (Eureka Farms & Freetown Road): Armoured cables worth over
K16,000.00 stolen in two separate incidents.
• Mufulira: Armoured copper cable valued at K337.27 stolen near PEP Stores.
The total estimated net loss from these cases alone stands at over K355,000, excluding the value of the cables intercepted in the Ndola operation, which is still being assessed.
These acts of vandalism not only compromise the reliability of electricity supply but also place public safety at risk and drain national resources meant for development and service delivery ZESCO urges members of the public to remain vigilant and play an active role in safeguarding the infrastructure that powers homes, hospitals, schools, and businesses.
To report suspicious activity or incidents of vandalism, please contact the ZESCO
Security Hotline at:
Together, we can stop vandalism and protect Zambia’s power future.
Issued by
Corporate Affairs Department
23 July 2025