Online Reporter
Freeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
TWO senior Zimbabwe Power Company employees have been arrested on allegations of stealing electric motors and brass pipes from Hwange Power Station worth over US$3,8 million.
Tawanda Mhaka and Ruth Chiyani have since appeared in court for stealing the property valued at US$3 896 000 and are accused of working with an accomplice, Hardlife Zimwenje, who is currently at large.
Investigations revealed that between August 22 and 23 this year, a truck was captured on CCTV at the Turbine Hall loading stolen goods, which included 15 electric motors, 48 tonnes of brass pipes, and a metal container.
The footage showed the items being loaded without proper documentation.
Chiyani, a loss control assistant, was allegedly responsible for overseeing the illegal loading but failed to provide invoices to justify the movement of the items while Mhaka, a stores officer, is accused of instructing a boilermaker to cut an electric motor and a storage container to make them easier to load.
The stolen property was reportedly transported in haulage trucks hired by Zimwenje, who is on the run.
Both Mhaka and Chiyani were arrested on September 11.
According to investigators, the evidence against them is substantial, including CCTV footage and removal authority documents signed by the pair. They were remanded in custody to September 26.
National Prosecuting Authority said: “This case serves as a clear example of the accountability required of those entrusted with national assets. Economic sabotage will be thoroughly investigated and those responsible will face serious consequences.”
Meanwhile in an unrelated case, the Harare Magistrates’ Court has sentenced to 10 years in prison Tinashe Mundenda (29), who was caught with suspected stolen TelOne cables in Stapleford, Harare.
On September 4, 2025, an alert resident spotted the offender loitering along Shamwari Road carrying a small bag. When approached, he attempted to flee but was apprehended.
A search of his bag uncovered four metres of TelOne drop wire, two metres of TelOne 50-pair underground cable, TelOne jumper wires, a bolt cutter. The property, valued at US$40, was positively identified as TelOne’s. Mundenda will serve the mandatory 10 years imprisonment for copper cable theft.
