A 35-year-old Highfield man, Fungai Craig Mangwiro, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after being convicted of stealing TelOne cables worth US$500.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ), Mangwiro was convicted and sentenced by the Mbare Magistrates’ Court following his arrest on September 24, 2026, after he was found carrying 500 metres of TelOne drop wires in a white sack.
The NPAZ said community security guard spotted Mangwiro at around 6.30pm while patrolling along Boyd Road in Southerton.
“Suspecting him of theft, the guard mobilized mourners gathered at a nearby funeral. Together, they apprehended the offender and searched the sack, recovering 500 metres of TelOne drop wires,” NPAZ said.
The Authority said, Mangwiro and the recovered cables were subsequently handed over to Southerton Police Station, where he was charged with the offence.
“TelOne official later positively identified the recovered cables as the company’s property, with their value assessed at US$500,” NPAZ said.
The prosecution authority warned against the theft and vandalism of public infrastructure, saying such offences have wider consequences beyond the immediate loss of property.
“The NPAZ warns against the theft and vandalism of public infrastructure, which disrupts essential services and has serious negative economic implications for the country,” the authority said.
