José Fernandes, the Director of Timor-Leste’s National Electricity Company, said illegal electivity usage was rampant across the country, with many people in rural areas saying they were not aware they had to pay for it or that it was a crime to tap into the electricity grid for personal use.

 Fernandes said in 2016 they had sought to carry out country-wide inspections of homes, but lack of staff meant they did not achieve their goal.

 “We only have six inspection staff so it is very difficult to control 400 hundred thousand and above clients,’’ he said.