Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
THE Beitbridge Regional Magistrates’ Court has sentenced a 46-year-old man from Shabwe area under Chief Matibe to an effective 10 years in prison after convicting him of stealing 25 metres of electricity cable, having disconnected power from one of the shops at Nuli Business Centre.
The stolen weather-dac triple-core cable was valued at US$500.
Priseman Moyo was tracked by the police and the shop owner and arrested while on his way to sell the cables at Lutumba Growth Point. He was convicted on one count of contravening a section of the Electricity Act when he appeared before Regional Magistrate, Ms Charity Maphosa.
Appearing for the State, Mr Willbrought Muleya told the court that on the night of October 23, this year, Moyo went to Nuli Business Centre carrying a pair of pliers.
Upon arrival, he cut 25 metres of Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) weather-dac cable, which was supplying Tripple Star shop. He then took the cable to his homestead, located about 1km from the business centre, where he burnt it to extract copper wires.
The court further heard that Moyo loaded the extracted copper wires into a sack and set off for Lutumba Growth Point, intending to sell them. On his way, he stopped at one of the tuck shops in the village.
Upon discovering the theft, the owner of Tripple Star shop reported the matter to the police, who managed to track Moyo using a trail he had left on his way home.
They located the site where he had burnt the cable and continued tracking him until they found him resting at the tuck shop, still in possession of the stolen wires.
Moyo was swiftly arrested, and the copper scrap weighing 7,2kg and valued at US$29 was recovered.
