Unemployed Chinhoyi Man Jailed For 10 Years For Stealing And Burning ZESA Cables
A 36-year-old man from Chinhoyi has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for stealing and burning ZESA electricity cables.
Rothman Changara, an unemployed resident of Ruvimbo Phase 2 in Chinhoyi, was recently brought before the Chinhoyi Magistrates’ Court for breaching the Electricity Act.
According to prosecutors, the incident took place on 8 February 2025, at around 3 AM in Cold Stream, Chinhoyi.
The National Prosecuting Authority confirmed the case, saying Changara’s actions disrupted the power supply and jeopardised critical infrastructure. The NPA said:
The complainant, a 53-year-old self-employed man, was awoken by the sound of something falling outside his house. Shortly after, the electricity went out.
When he stepped outside to investigate, he discovered that a 30-metre weather deck cable used to transmit power from a ZESA line to his meter box had been cut and stolen.
In a quick response, the complainant and a neighbour observed a distinct shoe print at the scene and decided to track it.
Their search led them to Gadzema Rank, where they noticed a large fire. Upon approaching, they found the offender actively tending to the flames, which were being used to burn the outer insulation of electricity cables, a common method used to extract copper for resale.
When questioned, the offender failed to give a satisfactory explanation for the origin of the cables. The shoe print at the fire site matched the one from the crime scene, linking him directly to the theft.
He was arrested on the spot, and the burnt copper wires were seized as evidence. The wires, weighing approximately 5kg, were weighed at Zimpost and matched the description and value of the stolen cable.
The court found that he acted unlawfully and intentionally caused damage to ZESA infrastructure.
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