Police have arrested a Lilongwe based businessman, Benjamin Siyambiri on suspicion that he has been using electricity illegally costing Escom K11,748,365.61 in three years.

The police have also arrested a former temporary worker at Escom, Solomon Sandikonda and a contracted meter reader at Escom, Patrick Gama who are suspected to have assisted Siyambiri.

A joint police and Escom operation discovered that Siyambiri illegally connected his commercial compound called B Square at Lumbadzi in Lilongwe enabling him to use electricity without paying for it.

Siyambiri and Sandikonda were arrested in Lilongwe while Gama was arrested in Salima District.

The compound comprises 10 shops, a laundry and an entertaining joint replete with dance floors.

Escom Public Relations Manager, Innocent Chitosi, has bemoaned the rise in theft of electricity which he said is costing Escom billions of kwacha which would have been used to service more deserving customers.

Chitosi thanked members of the community who always alert Escom about such illegal activities.

Siyambiri owns Exploits University and is a senior official of the United Transformation Movement (UTM).