By: Elijah Easter Kaykay
Police in Compound #3, Grand Bassa County, have detained, charged, and forwarded to court a Nigerian national along with two Liberian men in connection with the theft and vandalism of equipment belonging to the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) Rural Electrification Project.
The arrests followed a report from Eric Choekpelleh, the site engineer for LEC in Grand Bassa, who reported that vital equipment including transformers and copper wire had been stolen.
These components are crucial for the installation and operation of the new power supply intended to benefit the local community.
The suspects Chucks Ohacheni, 50; Samuel, 32; and Aaron Kollie, 25 are currently in custody and are set to appear before the Compound #3 Magisterial Court to face formal charges.
Based on preliminary police investigations, they have been charged with theft of property, criminal facilitation, and economic sabotage.
The extent of the damage and the specifics of the theft are still under investigation, and authorities have not yet disclosed concrete evidence linking the suspects to the crime.
In initial interviews, suspect Chucks Ohacheni explained that Aaron Kollie, who had been servicing his car at a nearby garage, later visited his home to request payment.
Chucks claimed that Aaron took a piece of copper wire from the garage and asked him to buy it. Chucks refused but later accepted the wire as a gift.
Aaron Kollie provided a similar account of the incident.
This incident underscores ongoing challenges faced by LEC’s efforts to expand rural electrification.
The theft of critical equipment hampers project timelines and threatens the delivery of reliable electricity to the area.
Authorities have assured the public of their commitment to thorough investigation and justice.
