Ziscosteel boss in dock for theft

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A ZISCOSTEEL stores manager, who attempted to steal 38 drums of PVC copper cables from his employer, is now fighting for freedom following his arrest

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

BLESSED MHLANGA STAFF REPORTER

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

Pindirire appeared in the Kwekwe Magistrates’ Court yesterday where he pleaded to be granted bail saying he was willing to subject himself to any conditions the magistrate imposed on him.

However, prosecutor Tinashe Mhonda opposed bail saying Pindirire had committed a serious economic crime by attempting to steal from a company that was in the process of courting investors and failing to pay 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 night at home.

Bail ruling is expected today.

It is the State’s case that in October last year, 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 a South Africa-based company Jocastro in 2005 for purposes of constructing a power station at the iron and steel plant.

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 suspicions of his assistant who was supposed to countersign 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, his assistant tipped off management and security.

Zim Metals management denied any links with Jocastro.