Rwandan national caught stealing solar street lights in Kabale

A Rwandan national has been arrested after he was found vandalizing and plucking off a street solar panel along Jackson Road, Central Division, Kabale municipality.

Alphonse Shirmak currently being held at Kabale police station was found on Wednesday morning at around 5 am vandalizing the solar street light panels near the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Kabale branch, according to Joseph Bakaleke, Kabale district police commander. 

Bakaleke says the Shirmak was sighted by police officers who were on a night patrol plucking off the solar panel from the pole. Elly Maate, police spokesperson for Kigezi region says that after realizing that his mission had been foiled, the boda boda rider who was waiting to receive the solar panels simply sped off.  

Maate adds that the suspect will face charges of vandalism and theft before the court after investigations into the matter are complete. 

Cases of vandals targeting solar panels are common in Kabale. Recently, about 17 cases of vandalism and theft of solar panels installed along several roads in Central, Northern and Southern Divisions were registered. 

Last week, Kabale district security authorities recommended neutralizing vandals on sight. This was after the commissioning of the Shs 1.9 billion solar street lights project under Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) program.