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Victor Maphosa Mashonaland East Bureau

AN Epworth man was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment after he was convicted of vandalising Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) equipment in Juru where one person was electrocuted in the process.

Justin Baptista (24) of Cornerstone, Epworth in Harare was convicted after he pleaded guilty to charges of contravening Section 60A 3b of the Electricity Act Chapter 13:14 when he appeared before Murewa magistrate Loice Mukunyadze.

Facts are that on March 22, 2022 a report of sudden death by electrocution was received by police at Juru where a body was found at Nyadzonya farm Base 1 in Juru.

The body was identified as that of Arthur Karima (40) of Kurima Village under Chief Chikwaka in Juru.

On April 16, 2022 officers from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Murewa received a tip-off about the whereabouts of the deceased’s accomplices.

Acting on the information, detectives went to Cornerstone, Epworth in Harare and arrested Baptista and recovered a medical card that indicated that he was once attended at Overspill clinic in Epworth for electrocution.

Baptista was then nursed of his wounds by relatives at home.

A rope and screwdriver which he used were also recovered.

He is still nursing severe wounds all over his body due to electrocution.

Anesu Gwena prosecuted for the state.