Five arrested over cable theft as govt amends Copp...

Five arrested over cable theft as govt amends Copper Control Act

Five arrested over cable theft as govt amends Copper Control Act

Zim Now Writer

Five people have been arrested in separate incidents as government has amended the Copper Control Amendment Act, raising the minimum sentence for illegal possession of copper from two years to a mandatory 10 years.

Criminal Investigations Department (CID) spokesperson Detective Assistant Inspector Rachel Muteweri confirmed the arrests on allegations of vandalising Zesa Holdings cables and equipment.

She said Jaison Mhara (58) and Sledge Sithole (35) were recently arrested for contravening the Act which prohibits the cutting and destruction of apparatus for generating, transmitting, distributing or supplying electricity in Zvishavane.

“On October 22, 2022, Detectives from … Zvishavane received information to the effect that there were suspected moving criminals driving a Toyota Fun Cargo motor vehicle at Pote Farm, Zvishavane,” she said.

The detectives reacted to the information and intercepted the vehicle at Mtonjeni, along Zvishavane-Gweru Road and recovered copper cables stashed in the boot after conducting a search.

In a related incident, James Zulu (32), Urayai Mudzingwa (41) and Cosmas Phiri (42) were arrested in Zvishavane for a similar offence.

This followed vandalism of two transformers and theft of copper cables by the trio at Chiraya Business Centre, Zvishavane.

James Zulu had an electric shock and some injuries, while his accomplices fled from the scene, leaving him unconscious.

Mudzingwa and Phiri were remanded in custody for trial when they appeared at Zvishavane Magistrates’ Court, while Zulu was taken to Zvishavane District Hospital for treatment under police guard.

Meanwhile, possession of copper cables without a valid licence now attracts a mandatory 10-year prison sentence without the option of a fine under new Copper Control Amendment Act gazette on Friday.

The Act came into effect on October 21.

According to the new Act, it is now mandatory for all copper dealers to have certificates of origin for the metal in their possession.

“No person shall, either as a principal or agent, deal in or possess copper as a dealer or putative dealer, unless he or she is a holder of a prescribed certificate of origin,” reads part of the Act.

The Act says that any person who unlawfully or intentionally deals in or possesses copper without a certificate of origin shall be guilty of an offence, and if there are no special circumstances peculiar to the case, be liable to imprisonment for a period not less than 10 years without the option of a fine.

Copper cable thefts have negatively affected the operations of power utility Zesa Holdings as well as National Railways of Zimbabwe signal systems, resulting in losses running into millions of dollars.

This has disrupted the provision of service, with some households and businesses enduring long periods without electricity.

In 2019, the power utility acquired drones in an effort to curb theft and vandalism of its infrastructure.