Crimes and Courts
By Zim GBC News Staff
HWANGE – Two senior Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) employees appeared in court this week facing charges of stealing company property valued at US$3.8 million, in a case that has exposed alleged internal corruption at the state-owned energy provider.
Tawanda Mhaka, a Stores Officer, and Ruth Chiyani, a Loss Control Assistant, were arraigned following an extensive investigation into the theft that occurred at the Hwange power station in August. A third suspect, Hardlife Zimwenje, remains at large.
The allegations center around incidents on August 22 and 23, when CCTV footage captured trucks loading stolen goods from ZPC’s Turbine Hall without proper documentation. The stolen items included 15 electric motors, 48 tonnes of brass pipes, and a metal container.
According to court documents, Chiyani allegedly oversaw the illegal loading operation but failed to provide any invoices justifying the movement of company assets. Mhaka reportedly instructed a boilermaker to cut an electric motor and storage container into smaller pieces to facilitate loading onto trucks hired by Zimwenje.
The National Prosecuting Authority stated:
“The evidence against them is substantial, including CCTV footage and removal authority documents signed by the pair. The pair was remanded to the 26th of September.”
The arrests follow a comprehensive investigation that revealed systematic theft at the power utility. Both employees were arrested last week and remain in custody pending their next court appearance.
The case has raised concerns about internal controls and security measures at critical national infrastructure facilities.
ZPC officials declined to comment on the ongoing case, but sources within the company indicated that additional security measures are being implemented to prevent similar incidents.
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