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Victor Maphosa Mash East Bureau
FIVE suspects arrested this week in Macheke on allegations of stealing 29 cattle from a Headlands farm were denied bail when they appeared at Marondera Magistrates Court yesterday.
The five appeared before magistrate Ms Sharon Nxongo on charges of stock theft and were remanded in custody to October 25.
They were this week arrested in Macheke on allegations of stealing 29 cattle from Moira B Farm in Headlands, Manicaland, with the police recovering 24 of these cattle with those arrested.
Among the five is a juvenile (15) who was employed as a herdboy and is believed to have connived with the other suspects to steal from his employer.
The five are Catherine Ngazimbi, Kudakwashe Kotyi (34) of Plot 7, Macheke, Tione Chisi (32), Tendai James Svosve (37) both of Nyazema, Macheke, and the juvenile (15) of Moria B Farm, Headlands.
The court heard that last month, three of the suspects allegedly connived with the herdboy and stole a herd of 13 cattle belonging to Mr Tendai Jura and they reportedly drove the herd to a farm in Macheke where they kept them.
It is alleged that, this month, the same suspects went to the same farm and stole 16 more cattle which they again drove to the same place in Macheke.
Some members of the public in Macheke became suspicious after they saw the suspects selling cattle to local butcheries and informed the police.
Police details then swiftly responded to the tip off and arrested the suspects which then led to the recovery of the 24 cattle.
Ms Phumuzile Ndlovu prosecuted.
Cases of stock theft continue to be recorded across the country and recently, police launched an operation targeting illegal meat vendors, the primary receivers of the stolen animals. The operation was launched following an increase in stock theft in which farmers have been loosing their goats and cattle to thieves who sell them to dubious butchers and dealers for resale as meat.
Some of the thieves go directly into slaughter and butchering, carrying the meat in plastic containers for resale.
Most of this meat is believed to be also sold at shopping centres, while other meat is supplied to illegal butcheries and food outlets.
Online Reporter