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Crime Reporter
TWO thieves from Chinhoyi and Bulawayo, have been jailed for stealing Zesa copper cables.

The one in Murehwa was jailed 20 years for two counts and the one in Bulawayo got 10 years for one count.

Simba Tinashe Chitau of Rusununguko in Chinhoyi was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment by a Murewa Magistrates Court for a raid last month in Juru while Jeffrey Zulu of 67040/11 Sizinda, Bulawayo was also sentenced to 10 years by Tredgold Magistrates Court for his raid on a transformer in Belmont, Bulawayo.

CID acting spokesperson Assistant Inspector Rachel Muteweri said vandalism of public utilities and essential services retards development and impacts negatively on the country’s economy, as well as being a serious criminal offence.

“Simba Tinashe Chitau of Rusununguko, Chinhoyi has been convicted and sentenced to 20 years imprisonment by Murehwa Magistrates Court for Contravening Section 60 of the Electricity Act by ‘damaging or interfering with any apparatus for generating, transmitting, supplying or distributing electricity’ and for robbery which he committed in Juru area, Murewa,” she said.

On August 19 at around 11pm, Chitau and three accomplices approached and manhandled two security guards at a farm in Juru area, before robbing one of them of his cellphone. They went on to vandalise a transformer and stole copper windings, 320 litres transformer oil and copper cables before they fled.

The security guards managed to untie themselves and mobilised the community for assistance. A follow up was made leading to the arrest of the accused persons along the Harare-Nyamapanda Highway.

Further investigations led to the recovery of a digital scale, pliers and the stolen cellphone. The accused led detectives to the recovery of 501kg of copper windings and some armoured cables hidden in the bush along Harare-Shamva road.

Chitau appeared at Murehwa Magistrates Court on Thursday last week where he was convicted and sentenced to a total of 20 years imprisonment, 10 years for each count,” Detective Asst Insp Muteweri said.

Jeffrey Zulu was convicted and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment at Tredgold Magistrates Court following his arrest for contravening the same section of the Electricity Act.

This was after he was found in possession of ZETDC copper cables, transformer copper bars and a shifting spanner by police conducting patrols in Belmont Industrial area.

Investigations revealed that he had vandalised a transformer in Bradfield, Bulawayo.

Detective Asst Insp Muteweri She urged members of the public to complement police’s efforts in the fight against crime by continuing to pass on information that might assist in investigations. Meanwhile, police in Norton have arrested Evans Kanjanga (34) and Nathan Chandu (43) for theft of electric poles at Railway 26 area in Norton.