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Conrad Mupesa Mashonaland West Bureau
A HABITUAL livestock thief from Banket was recently sentenced to 10 months in prison for stealing a goat.
Chinhoyi Magistrate, Ms Ireen Mapfumo, found Tichaona Musarurwa from the farming town, guilty of stock theft as defined in section 114 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act Chapter 09:23.
He will serve an effective five months after the remainder was suspended for five years.
The court heard that Musarurwa stole the goat from Mr Joseph Chinoda on August 22 this year.
Mr Chinoda and his son had secured the family’s goats in a pen and closed the entrance the previous night at around 7 pm.
The following morning he noticed one brown she-goat with a white patch on the fall missing.
He searched for the missing goat with his family in vain.
Musarurwa was intercepted by officers from Chinhoyi Central police’s patrol team carrying a bucket full of goat meat.
After interrogation, he admitted to having stolen the goat at Bharuka Farm Extension, Chinhoyi, and then slaughtered it beside Chinoda’s homestead.
Musarurwa was arrested and the goat meat was used as an exhibit in court.
The goat was valued at US$35.
Online Reporter