Copper cable thieves in court

Senior Court Reporter

TWO suspected copper cable thieves were nabbed after they were involved in a traffic accident while they were carrying 27 sacks containing 485kg of ZESA cables, 129kg of National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) core cables and 488 scrap copper worth $3 624 825.

Christine Muvirimi (36) and Valentine Peki (27) both of Budiriro were remanded from their hospital beds at Parirenyatwa Hospital where they are nursing injuries sustained in the accident.

Muvirimi and Peki were not asked to plead to the charges when they appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Dennis Mangosi, who remanded them in custody to September 8.

They were charged with contravening the Electricity Act, Copper Control Act and Railways Act, which does not allow possession of such cables.

Prosecutor Miss Monalisa Magwenzi alleges that on August 17 at around 5:30am, the two were involved in an accident along Stanstead Road in Mabelreign, Harare.

The two were in a Nissan Caravan.

It is said the accident was then reported at Mabelreign Police Station.

When police arrived at the accident scene, they found the two trapped, with Muvirimi in the driver’s seat.

After assisting the two, police discovered that the Nissan Caravan contained 27 sacks loaded with copper cables.

Muvirimi and Peki were rushed to Parirenyatwa Hospital where they were admitted.