HARARE - A 67-year-old Zesa Holdings employee died after being electrocuted during a power station routine maintenance exercise.

Elias Chingara, from Norton, died on the spot while servicing a Zesa power station in Epworth and police who suspect negligence, have since launched an investigation into the case.

Police spokesperson Andrew Phiri confirmed the incident.

“Preliminary findings suggest that Chingara was in the company of his fellow workmates from Zesa who were on an official assignment in Epworth.

“It is alleged that one Nasho Zibowa was tasked to switch off power to enable those working on live lines to work well,” Phiri said.

“We are not yet sure if he switched off indeed or not. Zibowa might face charges of culpable homicide, but we are still investigating. We suspect negligence on the part of Zibowa because he was tasked to switch off the line so that those working on the power station work well,” Phiri added.

The Epworth tragedy comes as the state-owned power utility is currently saddled with lawsuits running into millions of dollars after several people were electrocuted.

Recently, a Harare woman Constance Sinachinga took the struggling power utility to court demanding half-a-million dollars for causing the death of her son, Takundwa Nyandoro.

Sinachinga accuses Zesa of negligence. She claims her 10-year-old son died after coming into contact with naked power cables left in the open by the power utility workers. - Xolisani Ncube