Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka‑Chisepo
Court Correspondent
Two Harare men caught red‑handed vandalising TelOne underground copper cables and were brought before the Harare Magistrates Court on Friday.
Ignatius Magara (24) and Onias Marenga (19) pleaded guilty to contravening the Postal and Telecommunications Act when they appeared before Regional Magistrate Mrs Fadzai Mthombeni.
The duo was remanded in custody until today for sentencing. TelOne is being represented by its loss control officer, Mr Boniface Chitungo.
Prosecutor Mr Kudakwashe Muza outlined how the accused committed the offence.
Last Thursday, Magara and Marenga conspired to steal TelOne’s underground copper cables along Warburn Road in Mabelreign, Harare.
Armed with a torch, side cutters, a ratchet, a chisel, a knife and a star screwdriver, they accessed a TelOne manhole and cut a 15‑metre section of active 800‑pair underground copper cables.
They then transported the stolen cable to nearby fields across Harare Drive, intending to strip off its protective sheath.
However, TelOne’s loss control officers, Mathias Muzorori and Boniface Chitungo, were alerted to the vandalism through the system’s alarm.
Acting swiftly, the officers arrived at the scene to find the manhole open and the cables already severed.
Following the trail left by the suspects, Muzorori intercepted Marenga as he was stripping the cable and apprehended him on the spot.
Magara attempted to flee, but was pursued and captured by Chitungo with the assistance of local residents.
The stolen cables were recovered and both suspects were handed over to the police.
The prosecution emphasised the seriousness of the offence, highlighting the disruption and financial losses caused by such acts of vandalism.
The matter has been adjourned to today for sentencing.
