PEC technician murdered in the line of duty [Archives:2005/858/Local News]

Much of the work carried out by the technicians of the Public Electricity Corporation compels them to interact with the public around the clock. Many times, this subjects this dedicated force to many circumstances for which they become tragic victims – even martyrs – for faithfully carrying out their duty to provide electricity service that will enhance the welfare of their fellow citizens. There has been numerous occasions when technicians and engineers of the PEC have become tragic victims of lawless citizens who pull out their lethal weapons against them as they carry out their jobs, or when they are sometimes caught in the cross fire of feuding tribesmen or hungry land grabbers. Last Wednesday, November 6 at noon, a PEC technician was carrying out his duty of disconnecting a delinquent consumer, who has not paid his bills in a suburb of Sana'a, called Bain Hiwath, about 15 miles to the North of the City (near Sana'a International Airport. The consumer, who has a sizable farm and a home, both of which are significant beneficiaries of the services of PEC came out to the technician as he was carrying out his duty atop the ladder that was resting on the electricity pole at the connection point. Armed with an AK-47, the consumer demanded that the technician come down or else he would mow him down with the automatic rifle. The technician came down, without completing the disconnection, as he saw the consumer adamant in his demand. Yet, for some inexplicable reason, the consumer still fired his weapon at the technician, as he was coming down killing him instantly.

The suspected murderer immediately fled. The technician, 'Ammar Ali Kamil, aged 28, is employed with Region I in North Sana'a, in the Region I Sub-regional Branch of Bani Al-Harith. The Manager of the Sub-regional branch, Mohammed Ahmed Al-Hanbasi told the YT that the technician was a faithful employee of PEC, who was a polite and well mannered person, who could never have done anything to arouse the anger of anyone and certainly did never deserve to be murdered as he was only carrying out his duty. The village of Bani Hiwath has been out of electricity supply since the tragic murder, in the hopes that the people of the village can help determine the whereabouts of the fugitive suspected killer.
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