ZIMBABWEAN NATIONALS SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS DIRECT IMPRISONMENT FOR PRASA COPPER CABLE THEFT
The Pretoria North Magistrates Court sentenced two Zimbabwean nationals, Namer Ndovu (27) and Collen Singanje (28), to 10 years of direct imprisonment each for a charge of tampering with essential infrastructure. On 21 December 2020, the two were caught at Eskia Mpahlane Drive, in the Wonderboom area by Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) security guards, with 8 pieces of signal copper cables. The PRASA security guards took the two and the cables to the police station to report the matter, where they were arrested and have been in custody since.
In court they pleaded not guilty to the charges, however, state prosecutor Lufuno Manena was able to prove the state’s case beyond a reasonable doubt. The state called John Motswaledi, a corporate security investigator at PRASA, who told the court that each cable was valued at R3000 each, however, the crime committed had an impact of over R300 000, on the company because of what went into replacing and repairing the damage done.
In aggravation, Prosecutor Manena told the court that damaging infrastructure, affects the economy of the country, ordinary citizens, and businesses. He also told the court that under the circumstances, the community needs to be protected by the courts by imposing a stiff sentence which will deter not only the two but also the wanna-be suspects. Therefore, he asked the court to impose an appropriate sentence to restore trust in the justice system. Magistrate Phogotlhe Motlang agreed with the state and said that the sentence given was appropriate.
The NPA welcomes the sentence.
