By Kudzaishe Chimonera
A 20-year-old Mhondoro man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after he was convicted of vandalising and stealing ZESA electricity infrastructure worth US$740.
Delvin Majuta of Mugwagwa Village under Chief Murambwa in Mamina was sentenced by the Kadoma Magistrates’ Court for stealing copper cables from a ZESA transformer.
It is the State case that Majuta and an accomplice who is still at large broke into the ZINWA Irrigation Scheme Pump House B in Mamina at around 0230 hours on August 26, 2026.
“The offender and an accomplice, who remains at large, entered the ZINWA Irrigation Scheme Pump House B in Mamina. Using hacksaws, a hammer, metal blades and spanners, they cut armoured copper cables from a ZESA transformer,” said the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ)
The suspects allegedly stripped the insulation from the cables before packing the copper into two sacks.
NPAZ said the theft was discovered by security guards during a perimeter check with the guards following footprints to Chidzenga Bus Stop where the suspects were waiting for transport.
“When approached, the suspects fled, abandoning the stolen property. Police investigations later led to the arrest of the offender at his homestead,” said NPAZ.
The recovered copper cables weighed 37.6 kilogrammes and were valued at US$740.
The cables were positively identified by experts from the ZESA Loss Control Department and produced in court together with the tools used in the offence as exhibits.
