Rusape Woman Faces 10 Year In Jail For Using Free ZESA Electricity For More Than 2 Years

A Rusape woman is now staring at a possible 10 years behind bars after allegedly enjoying free electricity for more than two years, a case that mirrors a similar incident that recently shook the town. The allegation is that she bypassed her ZESA meter and consumed power without paying, a situation that investigators say went undetected from July 2023 until September 2025.

ZESA Officer’s Inspection Uncovers Alleged Bypass

According to Diamond FM Zim, the matter surfaced during a routine inspection conducted by a ZESA loss control officer. The outlet reports that the officer discovered an alleged meter bypass at the Tsanzaguru home of 40-year-old Monica Mubaya on 1 December 2025.

Introducing the allegations in court, prosecutors told the magistrate:

“The accused is alleged to have bypassed her ZESA meter, enabling her to consume electricity without being billed for a period extending from July 2023 to September 2025,” they stated.

Authorities claim the bypass enabled uninterrupted electricity access without any readings being recorded. Officials said the discovery prompted an immediate report to police, leading to Mubaya’s arrest.

She later appeared before Rusape Magistrate Barbra Mateko, where she was remanded out of custody on bail. She is expected back in court on 5 December 2025.

Similar Rusape Case Resulted In A 10-Year Sentence

The new allegations come barely weeks after another Rusape resident was jailed 10 years for a similar offence.

In October 2025, a 55-year-old Rusape man was sentenced to the full ten years for an identical crime of meter bypass in the Vhengere suburb. His case sets a direct precedent.

The man had physically altered his home’s wiring to avoid the meter.

“The court heard that the man had disconnected the 16 mm² red cable linking the miniature circuit breaker to the meter and replaced it with a 2.5 mm² cable. This illegal modification allowed electricity to flow directly into his home, bypassing the meter,” Ndoro reported.

Following that conviction, ZETDC officials emphasised the zero-tolerance approach.

The man was convicted under Section 60A(3)(a) of the Electricity Act, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years for tampering with electricity infrastructure.

ZESA Warns Consumers As Crackdown Intensifies

Authorities confirm that nationwide inspections by loss control teams are ongoing, indicating that more cases may come to light. As Mubaya awaits her next court appearance, her case shows the severe risks of tampering with ZESA infrastructure, where the price of free electricity can be ten years of freedom.

Authorities have encouraged consumers to report suspected illegal connections, warning that more arrests are likely as the clampdown continues.