Following numerous reports and a complaint lodged by a lady against impostors who visited her home claiming to be ENEO agents, elements of the Service in charge of Criminal Investigations of the First Gendarmerie Region opened an investigation.

Thus, on May 22, 2023, the finest detectives of this unit arrested a fake ENEO agent red-handed in the Mvan neighbourhood. His questioning made it possible to break up a ring of eight fake ENEO agents, consequently leading to the arrest of four of his accomplices.

The search of their various homes led to the seizure of a large number of equipment, including ENEO work uniforms, shoes, electric meters, electric cables, circuit breakers, pliers, ENEO professional badges and climbing irons. Forged administrative documents were also found, such as power cut-off notices, power cut-off orders, mission orders, undertaking forms, summons, ENEO bills, etc.

The suspects, some of whom had been fired by ENEO’s contractors for years, are charged with the following offences: theft of ENEO electric cables and equipment, tampering of ENEO meters, use of a false ENEO technician title, forgery of public and genuine documents, burglary, rape and assault.

In fact, these individuals had been operating for some months in Yaounde, precisely in Mvan, Nsam, Efoulan, Dakar, Odza, Tropicana and Ekoudoum, taking users off-guard in their homes with strategies such as: distribution of fake ENEO bills and power cut-off notices, or checking prepaid meters in order to inspect the homes of their victims and breaking in at night. They also threatened to cut-off power in homes of customers with unpaid bills, in exchange for 20,000 or 30,000 CFA Francs.

The suspects have all confessed to their crimes and will be referred to the court in the coming days.

Investigation is ongoing at the First Gendarmerie Region in order to arrest the three other accomplices who are on the run.