Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) has embarked on a campaign to disconnect all illegal connections, as such malpractices deprive the firm from acquiring revenue.

Last week, The Nation newspaper reported that Escom officials were in Bangwe township in Blantyre, where 3 maize mills were all under illegal connections, therefore apprehending the owner of the businesses. The investigations follow around the same time last year, when Escom announced that it recovered up to K15 million from illegal connection in Lilongwe’s Chinsapo Township, following a two-week long inspection on connections.

During the inspection, it was discovered that residents would connect up to five houses or shops to a meter meant for one house as there were also cases of customers using free electricity through bypassing of meters.