Online Reporter
Zvikomborero Parafini
AN 18-YEAR-OLD Harare man faces a mandatory minimum 10-year jail term after he was hauled before the courts for allegedly cutting and stealing a 13-metre ZESA copper armoured cable in Belvedere.
Hassan Mvumba (18) appeared jointly charged with Praise Kudzai Mutete (38) for contravening the Electricity Act which criminalises cutting, damaging, destroying or interfering with apparatus used in the generation, transmission, distribution or supply of electricity.
The offence carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment upon conviction where the court finds that there are no special circumstances peculiar to the case.
The State represented by Kudakwashe Muza alleges that on August 13, between 12.30am and 2am, Mvumba and Mutete teamed up with an accomplice identified only as Tonde, who is still at large, and hatched a plan to steal ZESA copper armoured cable.
They allegedly proceeded to Number 11 Link Road in Belvedere, Harare, where council repairs were being carried out.
It is alleged that the trio took advantage of the ongoing works and cut a 13-metre-long, 185mm by four-core ZESA copper armoured cable which had been exposed during the repairs.
Police officers from ZRP Milton Park, who were patrolling the area, reportedly received a tip-off that the suspects had been spotted dragging the cable from the scene towards a parked silver Honda Stream.
The officers reacted to the information and allegedly caught Mvumba and Mutete while their suspected accomplice escaped.
Police recovered the allegedly stolen cable as well as the Honda Stream.
The cable was subsequently identified as property belonging to the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company.
According to the State, the stolen and damaged property was valued at US$780 and was recovered in full.
Mvumba and Mutete appeared before Harare magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa, who remanded them in custody pending finalization of investigations.
