Zimpapers Logo

Thubelihle Mabhena Court Reporter
AN enterprising Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission Distribution Company (ZETDC) employee pretended to be a copper buyer and led police to four men who had stolen electricity distribution cables valued at $2,092.Patience Mwakurudza trapped Julius Mugova, 46, Kangeli Tambakamulamu, 51, Tawanda Bopoto, 41, and Amos Kwatara who had stolen 164kg of armoured copper cable from the company.

The four, all from Bulawayo, appeared before magistrate Gladmore Mushove facing theft charges.

The quartet pleaded not guilty and was remanded out of custody to December 19 .

Prosecuting, Jeremiah Mutsindikwa told the court that on June 13 this year, Mwakurudza purported to be a copper buyer and was introduced to Mugova.

“Mugova produced a sample of the copper pieces and informed her that the transaction was to be done at night,” said Mutsindikwa.

The court heard that Mwakurudza then tipped the police who teamed up with the ZETDC security section to investigate.

On June 18 at around 6.45PM, the police proceeded to Cold Storage Commission (CSC) in Belmont, Bulawayo and ambushed the quartet and retrieved the pieces of copper cables weighing 164 kilogrammes.

Mutsindikwa said Mugova led the police to the ZETDC power substation where the suspects indicated they had stolen the cables.