Gwanda Man Jailed 10 Years for Stolen Copper

By Nomazulu Sibanda

A 44-year-old man from Guyu Village, Bongisani Ndlovu, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Gwanda Magistrates’ Court after being found guilty of possessing stolen copper.

Ndlovu was convicted on 29 July 2025, following his arrest on 17 December 2024, in connection with the theft of copper from a lithium mine in the Gwanda area.

According to court proceedings, Ndlovu and two unidentified accomplices still on the run drove a navy blue, South African registered Toyota Fortuner towing a matching trailer to the mine. Armed with green cutting discs and a grinder, the trio allegedly cut through armoured cables from a copper heap, further slicing them into smaller sections before loading the stolen material into their vehicle.

Security guards stationed at the mine observed the suspicious activity and alerted their colleagues. The suspects were intercepted in a nearby bushy area where they had parked the vehicle. While the accomplices managed to escape, Ndlovu was apprehended.

The vehicle, trailer, and tools used in the crime have since been forfeited to the State.