2 men try to smuggle 2 000kg copper cables

in court charged with contravening sections of the Copper Control Act.
Kantedza Henry Chikondi (30) and Kachingwe Madalitso (31) were not asked to plead when they appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Shane Kubonera who remanded them in custody to May 18 this year.
They are being charged for contravening section 10 (I) of the Copper Control Act Chapter 14:06 that criminalises failing to give a satisfactory account for possessing copper.
Prosecutor Ms Svodai Kadivirire alleges that on Wednesday this week at about 2pm detectives were tipped that the pair were in illegal possession of copper at Shamva turn off along the Harare-Nyamapanda Road.
The detectives in the company of Zesa officials made a follow up and found the duo in a foreign registered truck.
They allegedly approached the pair and identified themselves as police.
The detectives searched the vehicle and recovered scrap copper wires.
They asked the two to produce a licence but they did not have any valid documents.
The copper cables weighed 2 000kg and were valued at US$8 000.