Chronicle EditorPeter Matika, [email protected]
A 71-YEAR-OLD woman from Ntabazinduna in Umguza District, Matabeleland North Province, Sithabile Ngwenya, appeared in court yesterday for allegedly stealing a herd of 20 cattle, valued at over US$16 000, in three separate incidents.
She appeared before Bulawayo provincial magistrate, Mrs Beverly Madzikatire facing three counts of stock theft and was remanded in custody to 19 September for routine remand.
The prosecutor, Mrs Tsungai Charmaine Mutapi-Saunyama said Ngwenya, in collaboration with Muneyi Ndlovu who is still at large, allegedly stole four cattle from a kraal at Number 2 Broad Ekhaya Farm, Imbesu, in Umguza District, on 18 August this year.
They drove the animals to Ngwenya’s plot in Ntabazinduna, where she re-branded them using an area branding iron on their rear left legs.
Ngwenya then cleared the stolen cattle with the police and veterinary officers, falsely claiming the animals were hers. She transported them to Bulawayo Abattoirs in Kelvin West where she sold them.
The complainant, informed by his herdsman that four cattle were missing, unsuccessfully searched for the animals. The total value of the missing cattle was US$2 800, and none were recovered.
A week later, Ngwenya and her accomplice allegedly returned to the same farm, stole five more cattle and followed the same procedure of re-branding and clearing the animals. They were again sold to the same abattoir in Kelvin West.
On 8 September, Ngwenya reportedly stole 11 more cattle from the same farm. This time, her luck ran out when the complainant, after learning about the missing animals from his herd boy, intercepted her as she was loading the cattle into a truck, belonging to one Trevor Girison.
Her accomplice, Ndlovu, fled the scene, but Ngwenya was arrested. The complainant managed to recover nine of the 11 cattle, valued at US$9 900, with US$6 300 worth of cattle being recovered.
Mrs Mutapi-Saunyama stated that the State has gathered evidence linking Ngwenya to the crimes, including stock clearance certificates, movement permits for the stolen cattle, and CCTV footage showing her receiving payments at the abattoir.
Additionally, the prosecutor pointed out discrepancies in Ngwenya’s stock register, showing she had sold more bulls than she owned, with her last bull sold in 2022.
In a related case, another suspected cattle rustler, Bhekilizwe Nyathi, was remanded in custody to 13 September for a bail ruling following his application for release.
Nyathi is accused of stealing and slaughtering five cattle. The State opposed his bail, arguing that he was a flight risk based on the circumstances of his arrest.
However, Nyathi’s lawyers, Mr Tapiwa Solani of Sengweni Legal Practice and Ms Constance Mathaba of Makiya and Partners, argued that their client was a suitable candidate for bail, as the State lacked prima facie evidence against him.
Londile Moyo
Bongani Ndlovu