Section 208 Electricity Act 2023
Section 208 of the Electricity Act 2023 is about Theft of electricity. It is under Part XX (Offences and Penalties) of the Act.
(1) A person who —
(a) taps, makes o- causes to be made any connection with overhead, underground or under water lines or cables, or service wires, or service facilities of a licessee, franchisee or permit holder or supplier as the case may be,
(b) tampers or bypasses a meter, installs or uses a tampered meter, current reversing transformer, loop connection or any other device or method which interferes with accurate or proper registration, calibration or metering of electric current or otherwise results in a manner whereby electricity is stolen or wested,
(c) damages or destroys an electricity meter, apparatus, equipment, or wire or causes or allows any of them to be so damaged or destroyed as to interfere with the proper or accurate metering of electricity, uses electricity unauthorised or through a tampered meter, or
(d) uses electricity for the purpose other than for which the usage of electricity was authorised so as to consume or use electricity,
commits an offence end is liable on conviction a fine as provided under this section or be imprisonment for a term of at least three years or both:
Provided that in a case where the load consumed or used or attempted consumption or use ~~
(i) does not exceed 10 kilowatts, the fine imposed on first conviction shall not be less than three times the financial gain on account of such theft of electricity and in the event of second or subsequent conviction the fine imposed shall not be less than six times the financiai gain on account of such theft of electricity; or
(ii) exceeds 10 kilowatts, the fine imposed on first conviction shall not be less than three times the financial gain on account of such theft of electricity and in the event of second or subsequent conviction, the penalty shall be for a fine of at least six times the financial gain on account of such theft of electricity or imprisonment for a term of at least six months and a maximum up to of three years.
