MARTIN MAWAYA
MASVINGO-High court Judge, Justice Sunsleey Zisengwe, today granted bail to Gweru based ZRP officer who is accused of stealing electricity copper cables from President Mnangagwa’s Precabe Farm in Sherwood, Kwekwe.
Musa Mukuli, a Constable stationed at Nehanda Police Station was ordered to deposit ZW$300 000 with the clerk of court at Kwekwe Magistrate Court.
Justice Zisengwe also ordered Mukuli to continue residing at ZRP Senga Camp, not to interfere with state witnesses or police investigations as well as to report every Friday at CID Gweru Central Police Station until the matter is finalized.
Mukuli who was initially denied bail by Magistrate Samkelisiwe Gumbo sitting at Kwekwe Magistrates Courts on Wednesday 20 September 2023, was represented by prominent Gweru Lawyer, Esau Mandipa of Mutatu and Mandipa Legal Practice.
He is facing theft charges and contravening the Electricity Act.
The court heard that on 14 September 2023 at around 11pm, Mukuli together with Brandon Ncube, William Wurayai, and one Jameson who is still at large, connived to steal solar panels from neighbouring Brownland Estate Farm, Sherwood in Kwekwe.
It is alleged that the four went to the farm, took three solar panels supplying power to the borehole and hid them in a nearby bush.
The gang, the court heard that they were spotted in a silver Honda Fit by security personnel from Precabe Farm.
Upon noticing that they had been spotted, Ncube, Wurayai, and one Jameson ran away leaving Mukuli behind who was subsequently arrested.
Following the investigations, the court heard that the three solar panels hidden in a bush near the crime scene were recovered.
It was further alleged that the water pump attendant at Precabe Farm, Liberty Lunga (43) identified Mukuli as one of the thieves who escaped after stealing copper cables on 7 September 2023.
The court heard that on 7 September 2023, Mukuli together with the other three accomplices on the run, allegedly stole some copper cables from Precabe Farm pump house near Munyati River.
The four cut and took armoured cables connecting the transformer to the pump before they pulled the cables to a nearby field where they peeled off the copper cables from the insulation rubber.
The quartet were seen by Lunga as he was conducting perimeter checks at the pump house.
Mukuli and the other two managed to escape after they overpowered Lunga and disappeared into the darkness.
