A 43-YEAR-OLD man from Emakhandeni high-density suburb in Bulawayo was this week arraigned before the courts after he allegedly stole copper cables worth US$1 500 from a National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) property in the city.
Nhamo Riyacha was not asked to plead to the charge of theft when he appeared before Bulawayo Magistrate Maxwell Ncube on Tuesday this week.He was granted US$100 bail and remanded to February 7. It is the State’s case that on January 21 this year, Riyacha and his accomplice only known as Mutonga, who is at large, hatched a plan to steal from NRZ premises.
The duo allegedly went to an electrical workshop known as Diesel Shed at Railton NRZ in Bulawayo and Riyacha entered through a broken window. Mutonga reportedly remained outside the workshop to receive the cables from Riyacha who was inside the building.
Riyacha allegedly loaded five train generator main field copper coils into a 50 kilogramme sack. He was seen by an NRZ security guard who was on duty. The security guard reportedly apprehended Riyacha and recovered the stolen property.
Mutonga, who was outside, escaped from the premises.
The stolen cables were recovered.
