marble nkomo
Mthokozisi Ncube
TWO police officers in Insuza were allegedly caught red-handed moving stolen cattle with a suspected rustling syndicate.
The crew fled and left a truck laden with the stolen cattle on 15 February 2026.
One of the cops was reportedly arrested in Bulawayo’s Pumula East suburb on Wednesday 18 February, while the other one is suspected to have skipped the border to South Africa.
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the involvement of two officers, naming Clifford Sibanda and Midy Mpofu as suspects.
One of the victims, Eliot Mlilo, told B-Metro his nightmare began while he was away in Bulawayo.
“I was not home on the day my cattle disappeared. My son called me and said all the cows were gone,” said Mlilo.
Villagers told B-Metro that the incident sounded less like random theft and more like a well-planned operation. A neighbour tipped off Mlilo’s son that one of the cows had been spotted being loaded onto a white truck in a nearby village.
“That white truck raised alarm. You do not load cows like groceries unless you know what you are doing,” Mlilo said.
Villagers mobilised quickly. After tracking the movement, the missing cattle were found loaded inside a specialised white livestock truck, ready to be moved.
“My cows were already inside a truck built to carry cattle. They were prepared for transportation. That is not the work of amateurs,” said Mlilo, still shaken.
Rumours quickly spread that the cattle were being sold to a butcher in Nyamandlovu, though this could not be independently confirmed. What alarmed villagers more was who was allegedly behind the operation.
Investigations pointed fingers at two police officers attached to Insuza Police Post. One suspect, Midy Mpofu, was later tracked down in Pumula East, while the second officer remained at large during the early stages of the probe. Sources said it is suspected that he may have run away to South Africa.
For Mlilo and others, the revelation was painful but not entirely surprising.
“This is not the first time cows have disappeared here. Almost six families have cried over stolen cattle. I was just lucky mine were found,” he said.
Kraal head Nkululeko Ngwenya said the rot started showing shortly after Christmas last year.
“Five cows went missing after Christmas. This month, another five were stolen again. It kept happening,” he said.
Ngwenya revealed villagers had tried to form Anti-Stock Theft Committees, both at village and station level, but every effort collapsed.
“When we called the police, nothing was done. Now, we realise why. They were benefitting,” he said bluntly.
The turning point came when villagers spotted Mlilo’s cattle being moved and took matters into their own hands.
“We gathered boys to track the cows. That is how they were found in a truck at another village,” Ngwenya said.
Comm Nyathi said: “One suspect has been arrested. Investigations to locate the second are ongoing,” Nyathi said.
He confirmed that 19 stolen cows belonging to two families had been recovered, calling it a breakthrough achieved through community co-operation.
The scandal has reignited anger over stock theft in Zimbabwe, where cattle represent food, school fees, dignity and survival. Official statistics show thousands of cattle stolen every year, with figures spiking sharply in recent seasons.
For villagers in Insuza, the damage runs deeper than missing cows.
“When police steal from us, where do we run to,” asked one villager quietly.
As investigations continue, families have welcomed the recovery of their cattle but insist justice must be seen to be done.
“We want the law to take its course. People are suffering,” Mlilo said.
Online Reporter