- As families in Cestos City, Rivercess County wait in darkness for electricity promised under the rural electrification program, police are investigating allegations that meters meant for their homes were quietly smuggled out of the county.
An investigation by The Liberian Investigator has uncovered claims that electricity meters officially allocated to River Cess were removed from the county even as many approved customers remain unconnected.
According to police records and witness statements, Stephen Thomas, a resident of Kaye Town Community, was intercepted on Jan. 4, 2026, while attempting to smuggle two electricity meters from Cestos City to Buchanan. Officers in Cestos raised an alert after the movement of the meters aroused suspicion.
In a voluntary statement to the Liberia National Police, Thomas said he acted on instructions from James Nyilah, an employee of MBH Company, to send the meters to Buchanan. Thomas told investigators he was not informed of the purpose for which the meters were being moved.
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MBH is the company contracted to carryoutthe electrification project.
The Liberian Investigator verified the serial numbers of the meters involved as:
- Meter Serial No. 25115947605
- Meter Serial No. 25116126142
Contractor Questioned
Following the interception, Nyilah was invited by police in River Cess County and provided a voluntary statement as the investigation widened. As part of fact-finding, this reporter contacted Cestos City Mayor Mark Molton, who confirmed that Nyilah acknowledged authorizing the removal of the meters, claiming they were faulty and intended for replacement in Buchanan.
That explanation was flatly rejected by the Liberia Electricity Corporation.
Speaking to The Liberian Investigator, Joshua Mulema, LEC's consultant for River Cess, said no electricity meter assigned to the county is permitted to leave its jurisdiction under any circumstances, including replacement.
"No one is supposed to take a customer meter under the disguise of replacing a faulty one," Mulema said. "That is fraudulent. Meters belong to River Cess and shouldn't be taken anywhere."
Mulema urged police to conclude the investigation and forward the matter to court should evidence establish wrongdoing.
The probe also uncovered a separate allegation involving Gabriel Deor, a resident of Cestos City. In a voluntary statement, Deor alleged that on Dec. 5, 2025, an MBH worker identified only as "Nuch" installed a meter at his residence. Deor said the worker left behind an additional meter after the installation, only to return around 8 p.m. the same day to retrieve it.
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Investigators say the account raises further questions about meter handling, tracking and internal controls within the electrification project.
Meanwhile, residents of Cestos City and surrounding communities say dozens of households remain unconnected despite being approved for service. Community members question why meters would be transported out of the county when local customers are still waiting for installation.
Some residents argue that the alleged diversion of meters may be contributing to the slow pace of connections, undermining the intent of the rural electrification program and eroding public trust.
The meter-smuggling claims follow an earlier investigation that exposed alleged extortion by MBH workers accused of collecting unauthorized fees before installing ready boards--despite LEC confirming that such installations are officially free.
As of publication, police say the investigation remains ongoing.
