The Bulawayo High Court, through Judges Evangelista Kabasa and Dube, ruled in favour of the victims, residents of Mangwe in Matabeleland South Province.
Both minors, aged 11 and 14 at the time of the incidents on 18 May 2022, were represented by lawyer Prisca Dube of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR).
In the case of the 11-year-old, ZLHR filed summons on 14 August 2024, seeking damages for electrocution caused by ZESA’s subsidiary, the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC).
ZETDC initially denied liability, claiming the compensation sought was excessive. On 15 January 2026, Justice Dube ordered the utility to pay US$50 000 within two months.
The 14-year-old minor suffered severe electrical burns and was treated initially at St Anne’s Hospital in Brunapeg before being referred to United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH), where he underwent surgery on his right arm. His injuries resulted in a cumulative disability of 32%.
ZLHR filed a summons on 8 August 2024, demanding US$52 000 in damages. ZETDC denied responsibility but later offered a settlement of US$16 000, the maximum covered by its insurance policy, which the minor’s parents accepted.
On 22 January 2026, Justice Kabasa ordered ZETDC to make the payment within 60 days.