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Ziscosteel boss arrested over theft of copper cables

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KWEKWE — A Ziscosteel stores manager who allegedly attempted to steal 38 drums of PVC copper cables from his employer is now fighting for his freedom following his arrest on Monday.

KWEKWE — A Ziscosteel stores manager who allegedly attempted to steal 38 drums of PVC copper cables from his employer is now fighting for his freedom following his arrest on Monday.

BLESSED MHLANGA,STAFF REPORTER

Coffee Pindirire (44) was arrested during a midnight raid on January 18 at his house by police after an alleged attempt to steal copper cables worth $101 084,68 was foiled by his assistant.

It is the State’s case that last October, Pindirire allegedly forged a memo from the engineering department to his office rejecting the 38 drums of copper cables with an instruction that they should be returned to the supplier.

The cables had been acquired by Ziscosteel from Jocastro, a South Africa-based company, in 2005 for the purposes of constructing a power station at the iron and steel making plant.

However, instead of returning the goods to South Africa, Pindirire allegedly gave an instruction to have the cables delivered to Zim Metals in Gweru, raising the suspicion of his assistant who was supposed to counter sign the release papers.

The State alleges that on January 9, Pindirire hired a haulage truck which was to move the copper cables to Zim Metals, but as the truck was about to leave the plant, the assistant, whose name is not given in court papers, tipped off management and security.

Zim Metals management denied any links with Jocastro and told the police that Pindirire had asked for permission to store his cables at their premises before the offence was discovered.

Appearing before Resident Magistrate Taurai Manwere, Pindirire applied for bail, saying he was willing to subject himself to any of the conditions imposed on him by the court.

However, the State represented by Tinashe Mhonda opposed bail, saying he had committed a serious economic crime attempting to steal from a company which was courting investors and failing to support its workers.

He further submitted that Pindirire had attempted to evade arrest by lying about his whereabouts to the police until they ambushed him in the dead of the night at his house.

Bail ruling is expected Wednesday.