Man jailed 10 years for stealing power cables

Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau

A 22-year-old Beitbridge man has been jailed for an effective 10 years for conniving with another accomplice to steal electricity cables worth $48 694 at Nottingham Estate some 40 km south-west of the border town.

Perfect Moyo of house 1987 Dulivhadzimu, was convicted on his own plea of guilty to contravening a section of the Electricity Act, when he appeared before Beitbridge Regional Magistrate, Mr Innocent Bepura on Saturday.

His accomplice, Godknows Ncube (20) of no fixed abode who denied the charges will be tried in court today.

Prosecuting, Mr Ronald Mugwagwa said between September 13 and 14 this year, Moyo and Ncube went to Nottingham estate and stole 34 meters by 16 mm square 4 core armoured cables belonging to the Zimbabwe Electricity and Distribution Company (ZETDC).

He said during the act the two accused person were spotted by security guards at the estate and they ran away upon noticing the guards leaving the cable behind weighing 1,860kilograms.

The matter was then reported to the police and on September 23 the accused went back to Nottingham Estate where they were intercepted by the security guards.

Moyo was carrying a back pack (satchel) with a 14-inch bolt cutter, side cutter, screw driver, and pick head.

On the other hand, Ncube had a satchel loaded with a side cutter, pliers, a hack saw and a spare hacksaw blade.

The ZETDC was notified and sent to Beitbridge a loss control officer who was able to positively identify the recovered cables as part of those belonging to his employer.

The total value of the stolen cables is $48 694.