File picture
A CABLE thief’s journey into Kimberley took an unexpected detour - to prison - after the police caught him smuggling stolen copper, earning him a 20-year sentence.
Zolile Joseph Kolomba, 62, was handed the hefty sentence by the Kimberley Regional Court after being caught red-handed transporting stolen copper cables.
Northern Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Merapelo Pilane explained that it all unfolded in the early hours of January 24, 2022, when a vigilant member of the public tipped off the Kimberley Flying Squad about a suspicious vehicle heading towards the city on the R357 Douglas road. Acting swiftly, officers tracked down the green Renault Clio as it entered Kimberley via Carters Road.
Upon stopping and searching the vehicle, the police discovered rolls of copper cable stuffed in the backseat, along with tools used to cut the metal. Kolomba was unable to provide a valid explanation for his loot and was immediately arrested.
Following a thorough investigation, the court recently found Kolomba guilty on two charges and sentenced him as follows:
• Damage to essential infrastructure: 15 years direct imprisonment
• Theft of ferrous or non-ferrous metals: 5 years imprisonment
In addition to the two-decade sentence, the court ordered that the Renault Clio used in the crime be forfeited to the State. Kolomba was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
Northern Cape provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Koliswa Otola welcomed the sentence and praised Warrant Officer Eunice Ngono and Constable Mpumelelo Maruping of the Provincial Serious and Organised Crime Investigation unit for their relentless efforts in bringing Kolomba to justice.
Authorities have urged residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity through the MySAPS app or the Crime Stop hotline at 08600 10111.