10 years in jail for copper cable theft

Michael Mashiri

A Harare magistrate convicted two men for copper cable theft and jailed them for 10 years each.

Richard Dzinzi, 35, Reward Sibanda, 53, appeared at the Harare Magistrates' Court accused of contravening Section 60 (3)(b) of the Electricity Act Chapter 13:19 (cuts, damages, destroys or interferes with any apparatus for generating, transmitting, distributing or supplying electricity).

Dzinzi discovered visible copper cabbles near ZESA powerline at Wagon Wheel Farm, Mount Hampden.

He told Sibanda and Phiri then on January 6, 2023, the men cut and removed 25mx185mm three core electricity copper cables in the process interfering with the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity.

After cutting the cables into small pieces, ferried the cables to Highfields, Harare.

The driver they had hired tipped off ZRP Marlborough who arrested the four men.

The complainant was summoned on 10 January 2023 to CID Minerals Flora and Fauna Unit where he identified the cables as the property of Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company.

The cables weighed 168 kilograms and are being valued at ZWL$ 29 2500.

Magistrate Clever Tsikwa sentenced Sibanda and Dzinzi to 10 years in prison each.

Amos Dzinzi, 16 and Tafadzwa Phiri 27 who were implicated the by the convicted duo were ordered to appear in court on Friday this week.