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Senior Reporter
A Mozambican man is in trouble after he was caught red-handed by detectives processing 55 kilogrammes of copper cables stolen from the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC).
The suspect was busy burning the wires at the Greenmarket in Sakubva, Mutare, when detectives pounced.
His accomplice managed to escape and a manhunt has since been launched to bring the fugitive to book.
John Maswa (43) who resides in Machipanda Village 5, under Chief Dimikira in Mozambique is facing charges of unlawfully possessing ZETDC apparatus without a licence as defined in Section 60 A (3a) of the Electricity Act Chapter 13:19.
Acting Manicaland police spokesman, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka confirmed the arrest.
He said on December 18 at around 2am, detectives from CID Minerals, Fauna and Flora Unit in Mutare received information to the effect that the accused persons were in possession of copper wire at Green Market Sakubva.
Working on that tip-off, the cops proceeded to the market where they intercepted the accused personsas they were burning the copper cables.
“The detectives introduced themselves to the accused persons who were processing the cooper. The accused persons were asked to produce any licence or permit allowing them to possess the copper and they failed, thereby leading to their arrest.
“One of the accused persons then managed to escape into the darkness. The detectives recovered copper cables that had already been processed,” he said.
Officials from ZETDC Mutare positively identified the wires as their property.
The copper wires weighed 55kgs.
Online Reporter