Chronicle Editor
Fairness Moyana in Hwange
A 66-YEAR-OLD man who stole copper cables from Hwange Colliery Company worth thousands of dollars before stabbing a security guard as he attempted to flee has been sentenced to 22 years in prison.
Patrick Dube of no fixed abode appeared before Hwange regional magistrate, Mr Collet Ncube facing two counts of theft of electricity copper cables and a count of assault. He was slapped with 20 years for the two copper cable theft counts while the assault charge attracted two years.
Cutting, destroying, damaging or interfering with apparatus for generating, transmitting, distribution or supply of electricity attracts a mandatory sentence of 10 years.
The court heard that on 17 September, Dube went to Hwange Colliery Company’s coke works plant in the company of Trinos Dube who is still at large. The two entered the security fence through a hole.
They proceeded to cut 50m x 50mm x 4-core armed copper cable that supplies or transmit electricity to the boiler on the eastern side of the coke works plant.
The copper cables were dragged from the coke plant to a nearby bush before the duo went away unnoticed. On the same day at around 5am Ms Siphiwe Mathuthu who was on duty at the coke works plant observed that some copper cables had been cut and alerted Sam Ncube, the Colliery’s security inspector.
During his investigations, Ncube observed that 50m x 50mm x 4-core cables had been cut in the coke plant before he followed a trail of cable drag marks from the coke plant leading to a nearby bush where he observed some residue of the burnt copper cables.
The recovered burnt residue was produced in court as an exhibit.
Three days later, the two decided to try their luck again and proceeded to the coke works plant.
However, unknown to them an ambush had been laid by Ncube and his team comprising Dadani Ngwenya and Nosta Mapaike.
The team drew closer and observed Patrick on top of the beam loosening the copper cables and working in common purpose cut a 12m x 120mm x 4 core armed copper cable that supplies or transmit electricity to the boiler in the coke works plant while Trinos stood on the ground assisting.
Ngwenya blew his whistle and the two men ran way leaving the copper cables. Trinos managed to escape but the security officers apprehended Patrick.
However, as they wrestled with him, he produced a kitchen knife and stabbed Ngwenya once on the right thigh. He sustained a 4cm-deep wound and swollen thigh.
Ngwenya managed to arrest Patrick with the assistance of other security guards and recovered the knife.
The recovered copper cables were taken to the Vehicle Inspection Department, Hwange where it was weighed and had a mass of 140 kilogrammes.
The recovered copper cables and the weighing certificate were produced in court as an exhibit. The value of the recovered copper cables is ZWL$3 640 000,00. Ms Jemesina Erica Makanza appeared for the state.
Online Reporter