Top Zvishavane businessman Kudakwashe Diza (43) and his
companion Mark Tiweni (39) were yesterday slapped with a 48-month jail sentence
each for stealing 810kg of aluminium cables belonging to Zesa Holdings.
Zvishavane magistrate Archie Wochiunga suspended 18 months
of the sentence as the power utility had managed to recover the cables, leaving
the duo to serve a 30-month jail term at Zvishavane Prison.
The court heard that on a day unknown to the State, Diza
and Tiweni went to a house in Council Park, where the power utility was
installing power cables and stole 810kg of aluminium cables.
The duo hired two Pick n Pay staffers, Tafadzwa Chitando
(23) and William Banda (26), who were on their way home from work to load their
loot into a truck and left for Masvingo.
The vehicle was intercepted by detectives at a roadblock
along the Masvingo-Zvishavane Highway.
Police demanded confirmation papers for possession of
aluminium cables after Diza claimed they had bought the cables from Kenstra
Engineering Company in Harare. The duo failed to produce purchase receipts,
which led to their arrest.
Banda and Chitando were also arrested for assisting to load
stolen cables, but were later released and appeared in court as State
witnesses. The cables, which were later identified by Zesa loss control
officers, were valued at US$8 100.
Tinashe Maponde represented the State.
Meanwhile, a headmaster at Chidyamakono Primary School in
Chivi, Victor Mugwindiri, escaped jail after he was caught with a four-metre
long steel pole belonging to TelOne which he wanted to use for the construction
of a school playing centre. He was pardoned. Newsday
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