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Midlands Correspondent
The four-member gang that has been allegedly going around vandalising and draining oil from Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority transformers yesterday appeared in court. The four who appeared before Gweru Provincial magistrate, Mrs Phathekile Msipa, are facing 18 counts of vandalising and draining oil from the power utility transformers.
Jacob Chibunhe (34), Masimba Chibunhe (27), Francis Madziva (25) and James Mahahi (25) all from Mkoba suburb, pleaded not guilty to contravening the Electricity Act chapter 13. 9 and were remanded in custody to 10 July.
For the State, Mr Bonface Balamanja told the court that on 11 February 2013 the four accused visited a Zesa transformer along Main Street in Gweru and vandalised the transformer while trying to drain oil from it.
The court heard that on the same day the four went to Zesa Ascot substation, where they then proceeded to damage the transformer before they drained 100 litres of oil from the transformer.
Mr Balamanja said on 3 March, the four visited Zesa South Downs substation transformer where they drained 200 litres of oil.
On 28 March 2013, Mr Balamanja said the four also went to the Gweru Show grounds where they damaged a transformer and drained 400 litres from it. The three, who were using a Nissan Champ to ferry the stolen oil, also visited other various transformer substations around Gweru where they drained a total of 12 300 litres of oil between February and June.
On Saturday last week, Zesa security personnel received a tip off that the suspects were draining transformer in Ascot suburb.
The court heard that the Zesa security personnel managed to record the suspect’s vehicle number plates as they fled the scene. The matter was reported to the police leading to the arrest of the four and the subsequent recovery of the car.
Police also impounded seven commuter omnibuses which were supplied with the transformer oil.
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derick.khumalo