Online Reporter
Fairness Moyana in Hwange
TWO young men from Kamativi have been sentenced to five years in prison each for stealing copper cables belonging to the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC).
Thamsanqa Phiri (19) of D70 Kamativi and Terence Mukandawire (20) of B642 Kamativi were convicted on their own plea of guilty to copper theft in contravention of the Electricity Act when they appeared before Hwange provincial magistrate, Mrs Lindiwe Maphosa.
The prosecutor, Miss Matsiliso Tlou said on April 3 at around 4PM, security officers from Kamativi Security Company spotted the duo in the company of two accomplices, Elvis Ncube and Watson Mukandawire, at Section Seven in Kamativi.
The group was loading copper cables into a scotch cart.
Suspicious of the activity, the security officers set up an ambush to monitor the group’s movements.
Phiri and Mukandawire later attempted to leave the scene with the loaded scotch cart but were intercepted by the security personnel.
Upon searching the cart, officers discovered a variety of copper cables.
The pair failed to produce any documentation authorising them to possess the electricity infrastructure, leading to their arrest.
A ZETDC engineer was called to examine the recovered cables and confirmed they were used for electricity distribution and supply.
The cables, weighing a total of 210 kilogrammes, were valued at US$4 750.
The stolen property was submitted in court as evidence.
