Online Reporter
Online Reporter
POLICE in Bulawayo have arrested three men in connection with the vandalism and theft of US$12 300 worth of underground copper cables belonging to the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC).
The suspects — Leo Madziwa (43) of Nkulumane 5, Believe Muteiwa (25) of Cowdray Park and Kenneth Tatira (31) of Waterfalls, Harare — were remanded in custody after appearing before a Bulawayo magistrate on September 19.
Police said the trio was nabbed on September 18 during a joint patrol by a Loss Control Western Region team and detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department’s Minerals, Flora and Fauna Unit (CID-MFFU).
Madziwa was first intercepted at Nkulumane Complex while loading a suspicious sack into his silver VW Golf (registration AEA 6197).
A search uncovered skinned underground armoured cables.
Upon interrogation, he implicated his accomplices, leading investigators to Stand 16616 Kelvin North, where more burnt cables were recovered.
“The recovered cables were positively identified as property stolen from ZETDC’s Monarch Substation, where vandalism had been reported during the week,” police said.
Muteiwa and Tatira were arrested at the Kelvin North property.
Police confirmed that both men are agents of Ricozone Pvt Ltd, a company owned by Hardlife Zimwenje, who is on the run over related cases.
The seized copper cables weighed 615 kilogrammes.
