Harare Woman Jailed 10 Years for Selling US$33 Worth of Scrap Copper

Authorities say strict penalties for illegal copper trading are aimed at protecting national infrastructure from vandalism.

A 44-year-old woman from Harare has been sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Mbare Magistrates’ Court after she was caught attempting to sell scrap copper valued at about US$33. According to a bulletin from the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPA), the woman, Success Kudyarawanza, was arrested following a police operation targeting illegal copper trading.

Police Tip-Off Leads to Arrest

Investigators received information on 1 March 2026 that Kudyarawanza was transporting scrap copper from Glendale to Harare with the intention of selling it. Detectives then carried out surveillance at Gazaland Scrap Yard, where a DAF 10-tonne truck was seen arriving and offloading cargo. Authorities said Kudyarawanza disembarked from the truck’s front passenger seat carrying a white sack. Detectives approached her and conducted a search, which led to the recovery of approximately 7 kilograms of scrap copper wires valued at US$33.56.

Failure to Produce Authorisation

Police said Kudyarawanza failed to produce the required certificate authorising her to possess or trade in copper and was immediately arrested. Under Zimbabwean law, trading in copper without proper documentation is a criminal offence due to its link to vandalism of critical infrastructure such as power lines and telecommunications networks.

Mandatory Minimum Sentence

The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe said offences involving illegal possession or trade of copper are treated seriously because of their impact on national infrastructure and economic stability. Zimbabwe’s Copper Control Act imposes a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years for copper-related offences, which explains the sentence imposed by the court despite the relatively low value of the recovered material.

Authorities say the strict penalties are intended to deter the widespread theft and illegal trade of copper, which has previously caused significant damage to public utilities and communications systems.

Harare woman jailed; illegal copper wire; Zimbabwe