Police Arrest Trio After Foiled ZESA Transformer Vandalism

NewZimbabwe.com reported that police arrested three men after a foiled attempt to vandalize a ZESA transformer and steal armoured cable at Matias Business Centre in Buhera. Zimbabwe Republic Police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrests of Isaac Lloyd, Blessing Mudyanadzo and Tanaka Choruwa on September 24, 2026. The suspects were caught aboard a bus while fleeing, a detail that suggests the operation was disrupted before the network could suffer extended outages. ZESA infrastructure has repeatedly attracted thieves targeting copper and armoured cable, often causing costly blackouts. The immediate outlook points to further law enforcement tracking because transformer vandalism has become an organized, high-cost hazard for the grid and repair operations. Police have intensified patrols near vulnerable installations.