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Yeukai Karengezeka

Court Correspondent

Two men found in possession of 8 kilogrammes of copper cables from a railway line have been sentenced to effective 10 years in prison each.The two Silence Magwenzi (22) and Zvikomborero Chidau( 28) were sentenced by Harare magistrate Mrs Ruth Moyo for contravening the Railways Act.

The complainant is the State represented by National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) Loss Control Officer Mr Freddy Mufandaidza.

Prosecutor, Mrs Mandirasa Chigumira proved that on November 5, at around midnight, Mufandaidza was on patrol duties along the railway line which stretches from Harare to Gweru near the Feeder Station, Harare in the company of his co-loss control officer, Tapiwa Chiwara.

They observed Magwenzi and his accomplice who are still at large in the process of digging an earth copper cable which was mounted underground along the railway line.

They approached the two and introduced themselves before searching them. During the process, the other accused only known as Trevor Madhodha fled leaving Magwenzi and their sack containing a copper cable, a metal mattock and an iron bar at the scene.

Magwenzi was arrested and upon interrogation by the loss control officers from NRZ he then implicated Chidau and Mudhodha who had fled from the scene as his accomplices.

Magwenzi then led the officers who managed to arrest Chidau and failed to locate Madhodha.

The total value of the railway copper cable which weighed 8 kilogrammes is US$280 and all was recovered.