Online Reporter
Victor Maposa
Mashonaland East Bureau
Police have arrested, a 40-year-old man from Ruwa, for allegedly tampering with Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) property.
Tinotenda Mahove, believed to have been operating across Mashonaland East, Mashonaland Central, and Harare, was caught red-handed in Mashonaland East while attempting to remove an armoured cable.
This marks yet another victory in the police’s relentless campaign to protect the nation’s power supply.
Police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest, revealing Mahove’s suspected involvement in a string of thefts targeting ZESA copper cables.
“Police have apprehended a suspect linked to eight cases of copper cable theft in Ruwa, Erasmus Park, Mt Hampden, Mazowe, and Bindura. The suspect was arrested at Arcturus Mine, where he was caught severing and removing seven meters of armoured cable,” Comm Nyathi said.
Theft and vandalism of power utility equipment, including armoured cables and transformers, have surged in recent months, compromising electricity supply and incurring significant damage to critical infrastructure.
However, police efforts to combat this menace are yielding results, with several arrests made in Mashonaland East alone.
Last week, four suspects were apprehended in Mutoko after police, acting on a tip-off, intercepted a getaway vehicle at a roadblock along Harare-Nyamapanda Road.
The suspects—Anderson Takawira (alias Tatenda Vambe), Isaac Vheremu, Trymore Bona, and Archford Chiyangwa—were allegedly involved in the vandalism of a ZETDC transformer and the theft of armoured cables.
Commissioner Nyathi detailed the incident, saying, “The suspects were found in possession of tools including spanners, a knife, and armoured cables. Their vehicle, a Toyota Aqua, was also recovered.”
The four are linked to cases of transformer vandalism at Mushimbo Business Centre, where transformer oil was stolen, as well as copper cable theft at Rukau Business Centre.
Further underscoring the police’s commitment to curbing this scourge, another five suspects were arrested in Mudzi after targeting a ZETDC transformer at Muzezuru Secondary School.
Those arrested include Phillip Chitawa (43), Steven Nyakabau (31), Patson Gurupira (28), Clayton Nyakatonje (24), and Marry Ngono (33).
