An Accra Circuit Court has granted bail to a 53-year-old landlord, Eric Afriyie, who has been accused of stealing electricity worth GHC7,067.87 from the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG). The court, presided over by Mr. Bright Samuel Acquah, granted Afriyie GHC20,000 bail with a surety, and ordered him to reappear in court on April 11, 2025.
Afriyie, who is self-employed, faces multiple charges, including stealing electricity, unlawful tampering with an ECG meter, and unauthorized interference with the power distribution system. He has, however, denied all charges.
According to the prosecution, the complaint was lodged by Madam Regina Ayim, a trader and tenant in Afriyie’s house at Alhaji Tabora. She alleged that the landlord had been collecting money from tenants under the pretense of buying electricity credits but was instead using the funds for other purposes.
The complaint prompted ECG officials to inspect the electricity meter on March 3, 2025, during which they discovered that the meter had been tampered with and a bypass connection had been made. This unauthorized connection allowed electricity usage without proper billing, leading to financial losses for ECG.
Upon this discovery, ECG disconnected the tenants’ power supply and summoned them for a resolution. However, while the tenants complied and had their power legally restored, the landlord refused to appear before ECG. Instead, he hired an individual to reconnect his power illegally, further violating electricity regulations.
Following an investigation, Afriyie was arrested on March 19, 2025. During interrogation, he admitted to the illegal connection and expressed remorse, stating that he regretted challenging the authority of ECG.
After investigations, he was formally charged and brought before the court, where he pleaded not guilty to the offenses. The case has been adjourned, and he is expected to reappear in April.
The Electricity Company of Ghana has been ramping up efforts to combat illegal connections and power theft, which contribute to revenue losses and strain the national power grid. This case highlights the consequences of electricity theft, as ECG continues its enforcement measures to ensure compliance with electricity regulations.
