Katavi police arrest woman for stealing 330 water pipes

KATAVI: POLICE in Katavi Region have arrested a 45-year-old woman, Gaudencia Asenga, allegedly for stealing more than 330 water pipes worth over 4.5 million Tanzanian shillings from various households in Mpanda Municipality.

The suspect resides on Majengo Street in Mpanda Municipality.

Katavi Regional Police Commander (RPC) Ms. Kaster Ngonyani informed journalists yesterday that the suspect was caught red-handed in possession of the stolen 330 water pipes after the police inspected her house on Majengo Street.

“The arrest of the suspect was made possible following a tip-off from a law-abiding citizen. Police officers collaborated with experts from Mpanda Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (MUWASA) to apprehend the suspect,” she explained.

She further mentioned that preliminary investigations conducted by the police indicate that the stolen water pipes were being sold as scrap. The RPC informed journalists that the suspect is still being interrogated by officers in an attempt to uncover a gang network involved in vandalizing water equipment in the region.

She urged the public to continue sharing useful information that will help the police combat crime in the region. MUWASA Director Engineer Neema Nelson stated that she had assembled a task force of experts from the water authority to address numerous complaints from citizens in the municipality regarding the increasing theft of water pipes (‘cokes’) in the area.