Gweru man gets 10 years for stealing ZETDC copper cables

Gweru (New Ziana) –A 24 year old man from Gweru, the Midlands province will spend the next 10 years in jail for stealing Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) copper cables weighing 160 kilograms and worth $48 000.

Sydney Chibaya of Mkoba 10 high density suburb pleaded guilty to contravening section 60A (3) (b) of the Electricity Act which criminalises cutting, damaging, destroying or interfering with electricity equipment when he appeared before regional Magistrate Phatekile Msipa.

Chibaya pleaded for mercy saying he was only assisting his accomplice Tendai Matemavi, who is still at large, to cut the copper cables as he is the one who knew some buyers.

Prosecutor Kelvin Guvheya said on 18 November last year Chibaya and Matemavi were cutting ZETDC copper cables when they were spotted by Venganai Mhonda who was driving a concrete mixer at Fort Concrete Company near the place of the alleged crime.

Testifying in court, Mhonda said: “I saw the two accused from a distance at the transformer while I was at work and I suspected that they were doing something amiss.

“At around 1700hrs, I knocked off and on my way home, I passed through where I had spotted them to verify,” he said.

Chibaya and Matemavi fled from the scene when Mhonda arrived.

Mhonda called for help from passersby and was assisted by Ruth Mazviitirei Farawu, who was working in a nearby field.

They chased the two but managed to catch Chibaya leading to his arrest.

The cables were positively identified by Richard Botsa, a ZETDC loss control officer who made a report to the police.

New Ziana