The territory police in Kabale have arrested a 30-year-old Rwandan national for vandalizing and plucking off a street solar panel along Jackson Road in Central Division, Kabale municipality, at the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Kabale branch.

Elly Maate, the police spokesperson for the Kigezi region, stated that the culprit was identified as Alphonse Shimaka and was spotted on April 10, 2024, by police officers who were on a night patrol plucking off a solar panel from the pole.

According to Maate, the suspect, after realizing that his mission had been foiled, alerted a boda boda rider who was on the ground to receive the solar panels to speed off.

“The suspect is currently being held at Kabale Police Station and may face charges of vandalism and theft before court after investigations into the matter are complete,” Maate stated.

He further highlighted that 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 the Central, Northern, and Southern Divisions were registered,” he stated.

Maate noted that Kabale district security authorities recommended neutralizing vandals on site, and this was after the 1.9 billion shilling solar street lights project under the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) program was commissioned.