Durban — Investigations into the matter of four men charged in relation to 24 tons of stolen copper cable belonging to eThekwini and Telkom estimated at R5 million were continuing.
This emerged in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court where Sudashon Chetty, 41, Simosakhe Chiliza, 32, Richard Mnguni, 40, Thulasizwe Ngcobo, 26, and Mthokozisi Mchunu, 39, appeared on Friday. State Advocate Val Dafel asked that the matter be adjourned to July 19.
The four are charged with possessing suspected stolen property (ferrous or non-ferrous metal) in that on February 2 in Pinetown the accused were found in the unlawful possession of copper cables valued at R5m.
They made their first appearance in court on February 14 represented by private attorney Minoj Harripersad. On February 23 they lodged a bail application, opposed by the State. They were granted bail of R1 000 each.
Chetty, from Kloof, is self-employed as a dealer in used cars and in his bid for bail he told the court that he had two children who depended on him financially.
He indicated that he would deny the charge levelled against him, and said that the day the police arrived on the property sub-leased to a tenant by himself and his wife he had been on the said property to collect the deposit from the tenant for the newly sub-leased property.
Chetty said that the other accused had been his employees prior to the sub-leasing of the property. He explained that following the sub-leasing agreement he terminated their employment, and they were then employed by his tenant.
“Our sub-tenant Mohammed was present and standing in close proximity to two trucks in which the police found stolen copper cables. The two trucks to the best of my knowledge were, and are, owned by Mohammed. I had no knowledge whatsoever that they contained stolen copper cables.
“I was astounded when the police … arrested the accused and I.”
This was while Chiliza from Burlington also said he had nothing to do with the charge laid against him, adding that he was arrested with the other accused while eating and awaiting instructions from their employer, Mohammed. He said he was employed as a part-time construction worker.
The investigating officer, Captain Enock Azile, with the Durban Organised Crime Unit said in his affidavit that the police had received information that suspects were loading copper cable into trucks on the premises in unit 10.
“The accused were found on the premises where a large amount of copper cable was recovered belonging to eThekwini Municipality and Telkom.
The accused before the court is not a scrap metal dealer and is not employed by eThekwini Municipality or Telkom. The accused were found on the premises. Mr Chetty stated that the exhibits that were found belonged to him, and the other accused are his employees.”
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