adminCosmas Ncube (34) of Farm Number 81, Shape area in Gwanda was convicted on his own plea of guilty to contravening a section of the Criminal Law (Reform and Codification) Act (stocktheft) by Gwanda magistrate Ms Sheila Nazombe. He was sentenced to an effective 40 years in jail.
Ms Nazombe convicted Ncube of stealing 17 cattle from his neighbour.
Ncube was arrested on 15 March while moving the cattle from Shape area in Gwanda to Montana Abattoir in Bulawayo.
Mekia Sibanda of Guyu area in Gwanda was convicted by the same magistrate for stealing 13 cattle in Siyoka area of Beitbridge district and sentenced to 20 years.
In November last year Sibanda teamed up with his two brothers, Moses and David and they went to Siyoka village where they stole 13 cattle belonging to Rodgers Dube. They drove them to Filabusi.
The trio sold three cattle there while 10 others were hidden, but were recovered by police during an anti-stock theft operation on 10 January this year.
Sibanda was arrested on 15 March while driving another 17 cattle that had been stolen from Marula area in Mangwe district and Lancaster Farm in Fort Rixon. Police recovered the stolen cattle.
Sibanda’s accomplices have since been convicted of the same offence and are awaiting sentencing.
Obvious Nare of Shanyaugwe area in Gwanda district was also jailed for 20 years by Beitbridge magistrate Mr Carrington Karidzagundi for stealing four cattle in Zezani area of Beitbridge.
The prosecutor, Mr Marvelous Chikomo, said on 1 March, Nare, who was in the company of three other suspects who are still at large, was spotted by villagers in Zezani while driving the stolen cattle from the area to Shanyaugwe.
A report was made to the police leading to Nare’s arrest and the stolen livestock was recovered.
Nare was in the company of three other suspects who however, managed to flee and they are still at large.
Online Reporter