Chipinge man jailed for stock theft

Faith Ndlovu, Sunday News Reporter

A 20-YEAR-OLD man from Mabhoko village in Chipinge was sentenced to 10 years and six months imprisonment after facing two counts of stock theft.

Tatenda Dhliwayo was arraigned before the Chipinge Magistrates’ Court.

According to a statement by the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe ( NPAZ) , the accused person on the first count was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment of which one year was suspended for five years. He will serve nine years effectively. On the second count he was sentenced to 24 months of which six months was suspended for five years. He will serve 18 months effectively and both sentences will run concurrently.

“On the 10th of October 2024, at around 1800hours the complainant (63) penned her cattle and went home”, reads the statement.

The accused person came during the night and unpenned the kraal and stole six and went away unnoticed.

“On the second count that same noght, the accused person unpenned the goats and stole 20 goats and one pig, and went away,” said the NPAZ.

The following day the complainant woke up and discovered that her livestock was stolen. She teamed up with other villagers and they tracked the spoor and they managed to apprehend the accused person near Mwanyisa Business centre with the cattle, goats and pig.

“The complainant reported the matter to the police, leading to the accused person’s arrest, the value of the stolen cattle was ZAR30 000 and for goat and pig was ZAR10 700 and all was recovered,” the NPAZ added.