Copper theft kingpins arrested

TWO men suspected to be kingpins in a syndicate that steals National Railways of Zimbawe (NRZ) cables were apprehended by villagers in Tsholotsho with a loot of about 200kg of brass and 40kg of copper.

The suspects allegedly pretended to be prophets and told villagers God had sent them to cleanse Ngamo Village of evil deeds.

The villagers handed Dumisani Sibanda (48) and Gift Dube (33) of Dete Area to the police on Wednesday.

Further investigations by villagers led to the discovery of sacks containing tools that the pair allegedly used to cut rods and cables along railway lines. The tools, villagers said, were stashed in a bush with some bags containing copper and brass cables while others were discovered hidden at the homestead where they had sought accommodation.

“They tricked a 70 year old granny into believing that they were sent by God on a holy mission in the village,” said Ngamo village head, Mr Johnson Ncube.

He said the villagers took Dube and Sibanda to Sipepa Police Station.

“We apprehended two suspects who admitted to vandalising and stealing electric components along railway lines. We caught them following a tip-off by some villagers who didn’t quite understand the motive of these two strangers in our village.

“We caught them unawares on their way from the grocery shops on Wednesday afternoon. We interrogated them until they revealed their mission. They led us to the places where they hid the collected materials and their tools,” he said.

The village, said Mr Ncube, does not condone vandalism or destruction of public property.

“Our government is working hard to improve and develop the country yet one would have the guts to go on a spree of vandalising and stealing State properties. We hope these men reveal their accomplices and the whole syndicate rots in jail,” he said.

A villager, Mr Abel Mthungwa said Dube and Sibanda took advantage of Ms Eness Nkomo’s advanced age and sheltered at her homestead.

“They approached Gogo MaNkomo on Saturday evening and asked to put up at her home for a few days while they were on their church mission. They tricked her into believing that they were elders of some Zion Church,” said Mr Mthungwa.

“The pair would go to the railway line areas in the evening and collect the copper cables. Some were found hidden in the bush while some were actually hidden in the room they were sleeping,” he said.

Mr Mthungwa said the duo said they had a ready market for the cables in Bulawayo.

Matabeleland North police spokesperson Inspector Siphiwe Makonese was not available for comment.—@winnie_masara