By Clever Mwale:
The Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) has scored a major breakthrough in its fight against vandalism after recovering copper materials worth K1.5 billion.
The items are believed to have been stolen and smuggled into Zimbabwe.
The consignment, which is suspected to have been vandalised from Escom’s electricity network, was intercepted at Nyamapanda Border Post in December 2024 by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra).
Officials discovered that a truck belonging to Kanyazira Transport Logistics, declared to be carrying scrap metal and groundnuts in transit to South Africa, was, in fact, loaded with copper wires, water meters and other materials traced back to Malawi.
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Among the items impounded were copper conductors allegedly belonging to Escom and water meters believed to have been stolen from Malawian water boards. Investigations linked the haul to organised criminal networks that have been stripping vital infrastructure across the country.
Following the interception, suspects were arrested in Zimbabwe and charged with unlawful possession of copper and related offences.
While the case proceeded through Zimbabwe’s legal system, Escom and the Government of Malawi engaged in months of diplomatic and legal negotiations to secure the return of the stolen materials.
That effort bore fruit on August 19, 2025, when the copper was officially released and transported back to Lilongwe under Mozambican police escort.
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The truck used in the smuggling attempt, however, was retained by its owner in Zimbabwe.
Reacting to the development, Escom Chief Executive Officer Kamkwamba Kumwenda said the recovery sends a clear message that the corporation will not relent in its fight against theft and vandalism.
“The copper that criminals attempt to steal is not just metal; it is the backbone of electricity supply in Malawi. Such acts plunge communities into darkness, derail development and threaten national security,” he said.
Kumwenda stressed that the Nyamapanda case had exposed the regional dimensions of infrastructure theft, revealing how sophisticated criminal groups exploit trade routes to move stolen goods across borders.
He said this underscored the need for stronger regional cooperation in law enforcement.
This mission has proven that, with collaboration, we can protect critical infrastructure. Escom will pursue perpetrators relentlessly, even beyond Malawi’s borders,” Kumwenda said.
