Three thieves from Chinhoyi have each been sentenced to ten years in prison for stealing electricity transmission copper cables valued at US $3,000. The men—Edson Mbewe, 22, and brothers William Mapuranga, 22, and Ronald Mapuranga, 20—were charged with violating section 60 of the Electricity Act (chapter 13:19), which prohibits cutting, damaging, destroying, or interfering with any apparatus used for generating, transmitting, distributing, or supplying electricity. Regional Magistrate Ignatius Mugova convicted the trio after a full trial and imposed the ten‑year sentences. A fourth suspect, Dennis Sinoti, 22, pleaded not guilty and remains awaiting trial.
The complainant in the case was Wanjin Company, represented by security officer Tichaona Jenhu. The state, led by prosecutor Nyasha Sibesha, presented evidence that on 12 November 2022 at around 11 p.m., the four accused conspired to steal copper cables and traveled to Hunyani Farm. There, the gang stripped 250 metres of armoured copper cable from an 11 kVA power line that supplies electricity to an irrigation centre pivot belonging to Wanjin Company. They loaded the stolen material into a getaway car driven by Musa Manyatera, then proceeded to Banket, where they sold the cables to a man named Magirazi and divided the proceeds.
On 12 December of the same year, Mbewe was apprehended by farm security personnel after a tip‑off. Following his arrest, he implicated his co‑accused, leading to their subsequent prosecution.
Comments are closed for this story.