Thief dies after falling off Zesa pylon, accomplic...

Thief dies after falling off Zesa pylon, accomplice in court

Zim Now Writer

A suspected thief plunged to his death off a 35-metre high electricity pylon while his accomplice is now facing justice for vandalising power distribution infrastructure.

The deceased was identified as Lovemore Mutaurwa.

Mataurwa’s accomplice, Tafadzwa Chasakara, 39, of Budiriro 4B, Harare, appeared before the Kadoma Regional Court facing charges of violating section 60(a)(3)(b) of the Electricity Act chapter 13:09.

Magistrate Sheila Nazombe deferred judgment to May 31.

The complainant in the matter is Zesa Holdings subsidiary, the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company, represented by loss control assistant, Rumbidzai Kembo.

The State, led by prosecutor Tendai Tapi, alleges that on February 6 this year, accused person and the now deceased went to Gazmak Farm near Victory Park in Kadoma where they cut 714 metres of cables weighing 30.6 kilogrammes from pylon towers and rolled them before concealing the contraband in a bush close to the road.

They proceeded to another point where the now deceased climbed onto a 35-metre high Zesa pylon to cut cables while accused person stood guard.

Mutaurwa ripped off cables, prompting the pylon to collapse, resulting in him plunging to the ground.

Chasakara tried to resuscitate his injured colleague, but later dumped him in the bush after realising he had passed on.

On February 10, Chasakara went to Criminal Investigations Department Kadoma in connection with his friend’s death.

Investigations by police revealed that Chasakara was present at the scene when the now deceased fell off the pylon and died.

Chasakara was immediately arrested led detectives and Zesa personnel to scene where he made voluntary indications of how his accomplice dropped to his demise after vandalising infrastructure.

A shoe the late Mutaurwa wore on the fateful day was recovered about 50 metres away from the fallen power pylon.