STATEMENT
CHIVHU RESIDENT ORDERED TO PAY USD 2, 700 OVER ILLEGAL WATER CONNECTION
A Chivhu resident has been slapped with a wholly suspended 12-month jail term and ordered to pay USD 2, 786 to the Zimbabwe National Water Authority after being convicted of by-passing her water meter and unlawfully accessing water since 2014.
Maud Funhiro (65) appeared before the Chivhu Magistrates Court (Case CHIVP41/25) where she was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment of which four months were suspended for five years on condition that during the period, she does not commit any offence in which unlawful diversion, abstraction or use of water is an element and for which upon conviction is sentenced to imprisonment without an option of a fine.
The rest of the sentence was suspended on condition that Funhiro restitutes ZINWA a total USD 2 786, being the value of the water which she unlawfully accessed over the years by May 30, 2025.
Circumstances of the matter are that sometime around 2014, Funhiro bypassed a meter at her home and illegally diverted water from the ZINWA system into her house, fowl run and garden, resulting in her using water without payment for the period.
The offence was discovered during a ZINWA operation to reduce non-revenue water in the town.
ZINWA wishes to thank all stakeholders and members of the public for the assistance they continue to give during such operations and urges those who suspected any illegal water usage to report such cases.
MRS M. MUNYONGA
HEAD; CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING
FEBRUARY 10, 2025
