Police in Jinja City has netted two suspects impersonating UMEME officials to steal Yaka meters from locals.
The suspects, Erick Kiyaga, 25, and Derrick Obuddi, 25, are currently detained at Buwenge central police station.
Police also impounded an unspecified number of fake UMEME Identity cards, Solido wires, communication cables, meter boxes, and a motorcycle registration UFN 506E from the suspects.
The duo attempted to steal Umeme YAKA meters from residents in Bwase zone, Buwenge Town Council while claiming they had been directed to replace old meters with new ones.
The suspects only revealed fake identity cards after locals insisted they first clear with the LCs.
However, one of the locals took pictures of the suspects' IDs and shared them with UMEME officials who disowned the two and their alleged assignment.
Hassan Kinosa, the LC III chairperson of Buwenge town council says several small-scale business operators within the area thrive on illegal power connections and prefer working with random electricians rather than UMEME officials.
The Kiira regional police spokesperson, James Mubi, says that the available intelligence information indicates that the suspects are part of the bigger racket of UMEME impostors behind the illegal power connections and vandalism.
Mubi says that the suspects face two counts of obtaining money through false pretense and robbery of electricity equipment.
