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Michael Magoronga Midlands Correspondent
Two men have been sentenced to 10 years in jail each for stealing ZESA power cables valued at $84 000.
The pair, part of a five-member gang, will languish in jail for the next 10 years after being convicted by Gokwe Magistrate Mr Taurai Manwere after a full trial.
Givemore Ganyiwa (27) of 7636 Budiriro B in Harare and Admire Tagumara (20) of 10850 White-cliff South in Harare where arrested after a tip-off by villagers who spotted them loading their loot into a pick-up truck.
The duo had to go through a full trial after pleading not guilty to the charge.
The State led by Mr Robert Ndlala argued that sometime between June and September 14, the two connived with three other accomplices Victor Marange, Bright Ndoro and one Trust, who are still at large, to steal ZESA power cables.
The gang proceeded to Raj Power Line in Gokwe where they cut down ZESA gum poles using hacksaws.
They went on to untie the aluminium conductors from the shackle insulators and took three by 1 350-metres of 100mm SCA aluminium conductors.
On September 14, the court heard, they were spotted by villagers while loading part of the material into a white Nissan hard body twin cab next to the crime scene.
The villagers alerted ZESA staffers who in turn reported the matter to the police.
The pickup truck they were using was recovered on the scene and a blue work suit marked ZETDC, bolt cutters and spanners they used were also recovered.
Further investigations by the police led to the arrest of Tagumara at White-cliff Shopping Centre in Harare on September 17.
The pair voluntarily led police detectives to Sally Mugabe Heights power line where the accused persons had installed some of the 100mm SCA aluminium conductors.
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