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Fungai Lupande Court Reporter
A 38-YEAR-OLD man yesterday appeared in court charged with illegal possession of 2 400 kilogrammes of ZESA copper conductors and copper rewinds valued at $19 200.

Harrison Bindu of Mufakose, Harare, appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe, facing charges of contravening the Electricity Act and possessing copper.

Mr Mahwe will make bail ruling today. The prosecutor Mrs Idah Makete-Maromo, alleged that police detectives received a tip off that Bindu was smelting gold at his house.

Acting on the information detectives went to Bindu’s house around 11pm but they were denied entry by his wife, who lied that he was not at home.

It is alleged that detectives laid ambush at the house and around 5am the following day, the wife opened the door to check if the police officers were still around.

Detectives immediately approached her and identified themselves, requesting to search the house.

The court heard that detectives located Bindu hiding behind the door.

Further searches in the house led to the recovery of a bolt cutter, a portable electronic scale, ZESA copper conductors and copper rewinds.

However, no gold was recovered at the house. Bindu was asked to produce a licence authorising him to possess the copper, but he failed leading to his arrest.