Online Reporter
Fairness Moyana in Hwange
A 20-YEAR-OLD Hwange mine worker has been sentenced to an effective five years’ imprisonment for stealing electricity cables belonging to his employer.
Admire Shoko, of Makwika Village, was convicted on his own plea of guilty to contravening Section 60A(3)(b) of the Electricity Act (Chapter 13:19), which criminalises the unlawful possession of materials used in the generation, transmission, or supply of electricity when he appeared before Hwange provincial magistrate, Ms Rumbi Kabasa Bonzo.
The magistrate ordered that the recovered copper cables be returned to Zhongxian Chabha Mine Mopani.
Shoko was represented by Mr Tiffany Sibanda and Ms Linda Mthombeni, while Ms Jamesina Erica Makanza appeared for the State.
According to the State case, Shoko was employed as a general hand at Zhongxian Chabha Mine Mopani in Hwange. The complainant was the mining company, represented by its security manager, Mr Desmert Gweshe (31).
On December 6 at around 2 AM, Shoko knocked off duty at the mine’s washing plant and proceeded to the main gate. During a routine exit search by a security guard, two copper electricity cables were discovered hidden in his food bag.
The recovered items were a 2,5mm² three-core copper flex cable measuring six metres and a 1,5mm four-core copper flex cable measuring nine metres, valued at US$40.
Shoko failed to produce a permit authorising him to remove the cables from the mine premises, leading to his immediate arrest. All the cables were recovered.
In mitigation, Shoko pleaded for leniency. However, the court noted that electricity-related offences pose serious risks to infrastructure, safety and operations, particularly within the mining sector.
