News / Local
Zesa scam, Bulawayo syndicate busted
12 Dec 2012 at 05:09hrs | Views
POLICE in Bulawayo have bust a syndicate of people including a Zesa worker that has been going around reconnecting power to residents.
The arrests could just be a tip of an iceberg, as the syndicate was believed to have gone around a number of high-density suburbs reconnecting electricity for a fee.
Indications are that they would charge them between $50 and $100 for the illegal job depending on the amount each resident owed.
They would move around looking for those clients who would have been disconnected because of unpaid electricity bills and restore power for them.
Four men were arrested last week on Thursday following anonymous calls to Zesa.
The four separately appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Richard Ramaboea yesterday facing charges of illegally reconnecting power.
Qinisela Ncube (40), who is an electrician at Zesa and Lot Mpofu (49) both of Mabutweni suburb were arrested on Thursday following a tip-off to Zesa by members of the public.
The two had reconnected electricity to three houses, one in Mabutweni and the other two in Nkulumane 5 when they were arrested.
Ncube and Mpofu were convicted on their own plea of guilty to three counts and were each sentenced to 12 months in prison.
They had six months suspended for five years on condition they do not commit offences of a similar nature.
The two will spend an effective six months each in prison.
Appearing separately were Godwin Tshuma (60) and Elliot Ncube, who were each convicted and fined $100 for illegally reconnecting power at a house in Mabutweni.
Sometime last month, Tshuma had power disconnected at his house and he approached Ncube knowing that he was an electrician.
Ncube illegally restored power to the house and was also arrested following an anonymous call to Zesa.
Mr Tatenda Dakwa represented the State.
The arrests could just be a tip of an iceberg, as the syndicate was believed to have gone around a number of high-density suburbs reconnecting electricity for a fee.
Indications are that they would charge them between $50 and $100 for the illegal job depending on the amount each resident owed.
They would move around looking for those clients who would have been disconnected because of unpaid electricity bills and restore power for them.
Four men were arrested last week on Thursday following anonymous calls to Zesa.
The four separately appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Richard Ramaboea yesterday facing charges of illegally reconnecting power.
Qinisela Ncube (40), who is an electrician at Zesa and Lot Mpofu (49) both of Mabutweni suburb were arrested on Thursday following a tip-off to Zesa by members of the public.
The two had reconnected electricity to three houses, one in Mabutweni and the other two in Nkulumane 5 when they were arrested.
Ncube and Mpofu were convicted on their own plea of guilty to three counts and were each sentenced to 12 months in prison.
They had six months suspended for five years on condition they do not commit offences of a similar nature.
The two will spend an effective six months each in prison.
Appearing separately were Godwin Tshuma (60) and Elliot Ncube, who were each convicted and fined $100 for illegally reconnecting power at a house in Mabutweni.
Sometime last month, Tshuma had power disconnected at his house and he approached Ncube knowing that he was an electrician.
Ncube illegally restored power to the house and was also arrested following an anonymous call to Zesa.
Mr Tatenda Dakwa represented the State.
Source - TC
