Police in Zimbabwe arrested three men on September 24, 2026, in connection with the alleged vandalism of a state-owned power transformer and theft of armored electrical cable. The incident occurred at Matias Business Centre in Buhera, a district in the Manicaland province, according to an official police statement.
In the statement, Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) national spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrests and identified the individuals as Isaac Lloyd, 31, Blessing Mudyanadzo, 21, and Tanaka Choruwa, 23.
According to the police account, the events began when security guards at the business center observed the three men near a transformer belonging to ZESA Holdings, the national electricity utility. The suspects were allegedly in the process of cutting and removing an armored cable from the unit.
The security guards reportedly approached the men, who then fled the scene. The ZRP was notified and subsequently located the three individuals aboard a bus, where they were taken into custody. Police officials reported recovering the armored cable and tools allegedly used during the incident.
The three men remain in police custody pending further investigation.
Vandalism of electrical infrastructure, including transformers and copper cables, has been a subject of public reports from ZESA Holdings. The utility has previously cited such incidents as a contributor to power disruptions and significant financial losses due to the high cost of replacing the specialized equipment. The government has also previously amended legislation to introduce stricter penalties for theft and destruction of essential infrastructure.
