KOTA KINABALU: The Energy Commission of Sabah (ECoS) saw its first squatter electricity theft case prosecuted at the Sessions Court.
ECoS chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Nasser Abdul Wahid said the accused, who is a resident in a squatter settlement in Sepanggar, was slapped with three charges under the Electricity Supply Enactment 2024.
In the first charge, the man was accused of supplying electricity to several premises within the squatter settlement without a valid licence.
The offence carries a fine of up to RM1mil, a jail term of up to 10 years, or both, if convicted.
Under the second charge, he was alleged to have dishonestly tapped electricity.
If found guilty, the man could be fined between RM1,000 and RM100,000, or given a jail term of up to one year or both.
The third charge was for installing electrical wiring without the permission of the licensed holder Sabah Electricity.
The offence provides a fine of up to RM50,000 or imprisonment of up to one year or both.
The accused pleaded not guilty before Sessions Court judge Marlina Ibrahim.
According to ECoS, the court granted bail of RM15,000 with two local sureties.
“This is the first case involving electricity theft in a squatter settlement.
“ECoS, together with Sabah Electricity, will intensify efforts to curb electricity theft activities,” said Abdul Nasser.
“Electricity theft in squatter areas not only results in significant losses to Sabah Electricity but also poses safety risks due to non-standard installations.
“It also causes disruptions to the electricity supply for registered consumers in surrounding areas due to excessive load,” he added.
