‘Cattle rustler gang member cop arrested’

Peter Matika, [email protected]
A 37-year-old police officer stationed in Zvishavane has been arraigned before the courts, after being implicated for playing a major role in cattle rustling activities in the Fort Rixon area in Matabeleland South.

Kudakwashe Chigwa, appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Abednico Ndebele on Saturday and was remanded in custody to November 1.

Chigwa is facing two counts of criminal activity. For the first count he is being charged with stock theft and secondly with criminal abuse of office.
According to the State, as presented by Mr Sehliselo Khumalo on 13 October this year at around 2PM police received a tip off that a villager identified as Ishmael Sibanda was slaughtering cattle at his homestead at Mvurachena Village, Lambamai, Fort Rixon without police clearance.

Mr Khumalo told the court police then proceeded to the villager’s homestead and upon arrival asked for a stock clearance receipt, which he produced.
He said on the day in question Chigwa connived with Sibanda and another suspect identified as Justin Zijena and stole four cattle belonging to one Oliver Chiropa and slaughtered them.

“The accused person was clearing livestock in civilian attire and went on to introduce himself as a police officer stationed at ZRP Zvishavane. Oliver Chiropa, a local farmer, positively identified four hides and two heads of cattle, which had been cleared by the accused person and slaughtered by Ishmael Sibanda as his,” said Mr Khumalo.

Mr Khumalo said Chigwa was arrested after it was discovered that he did not follow procedure in clearing cattle.

“The accused person was asked to produce permits to prove that he had been tasked to clear cattle in Fort Rixon, which is beyond his jurisdiction, while he was in civilian attire, which does not fall under his area of operation and he had none.

“The accused person was arrested and a ZRP Zvishavane 392 Book 75/24, which contained the page he had cleared cattle serial number 4261642 was recovered,” said Mr Khumalo.

He said the recovered ZRP Zvishavane 392 book 75/24 was inspected, where it was then established that Chigwa had allegedly removed top copies of the book.

“The accused person was asked why he removed top copies on the serial numbers leaving duplicate copies uncompleted and he failed to give a satisfactory answer leading to his arrest,” said Mr Khumalo.

Chigwa’s arrest follows the recent appearance of a gang of nine men in court accused of running a cattle rustling operation in the Fort Rixon.
The nine are alleged to have stolen and skinned 28 cattle from a local farmer. The incident occurred in August when the gang devised a plan to target the farmer’s herd.

After an extensive search, law enforcement authorities apprehended the suspects on October 13.

During the investigations, police recovered five skinned carcasses and two heads of cattle that were positively identified by Chiropa. It was further stated that 26 hides were found in possession of the suspects.

The gang comprises Ishmael Sibanda (31) from Mvurachena C Village in Fort Rixon; Justin Ziyena (48) from Mandava, Zvishavane; Josphat Makuvaza (48) from Tatenda Village, Lambamai, Fort Rixon; Piraishe Mandende, (35) from Lambamai, Fort Rixon; Peter Tiziri (44) from Gwamanyanga Village, Fort Rixon; Trust Ndlovu, (34) from Mkiweni A, Lambamai, Fort Rixon; Justice Zhou (35) from Mvurachena C Village, Lambamai, Fort Rixon; and Sabelo Moyo from Mxotshwa Village, Zvishavane.

The surge in cattle theft has prompted authorities to implement various strategies, including the formation of community-based anti-rustling monitoring groups.
Rustlers often target rural areas on the outskirts of major cities like Bulawayo, where they can find a ready market for stolen meat.

In another incident, police recently arrested a suspect, Bhekilizwe Nyathi, who is believed to be part of a gang that stole and slaughtered five cattle in the same area.

The gang attempted to smuggle the carcasses to a butchery in Bulawayo’s Magwegwe suburb.

Following that case a 71-year-old woman from Ntabazinduna in Umguza District, Matabeleland North Province, Sithabile Ngwenya, also appeared in court for allegedly stealing a herd of 20 cattle, valued at over US$16 000, in three separate incidents.