Online Reporter
Danisa Masuku, Online Reporter
A COWDRAY Park man who was accused of stealing and slaughtering six cattle from a Johane Masowe church farm in Umguza has been acquitted after a magistrate ruled that police bungled the case.
Ignatius Charamba, who was dragged to court after cops pounced on him with 240kg of meat and cow skins at his home, walked free when Provincial Magistrate Richard Ramaboea ruled the State failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Charamba, represented by lawyer Prince Butshe of Butshe and Associates, argued that he runs a game meat business and that the meat in question was kudu, not beef.
The court heard that police led by Inspector Sakson Dube acted on a tip-off and raided Charamba’s home, seizing meat, offal, and cow skins. An ox head recovered from a customer, Sidumisile Moyo, was allegedly identified as belonging to the church farm through an earmark.
However, Ramaboea noted that police failed to record the recovered meat and skins on Form 390, a mandatory procedure for exhibits, which fatally weakened the State’s case.
He also highlighted that Insp Dube and veterinary officer Cuthbert Mahere gave conflicting testimonies, failing to prove the meat was indeed from cattle and not game, as both kudu and buffalo fall under the bovinae class.
Charamba was arrested on 30 June, but after weeks of trial drama, he left the courtroom a free man, heaving a sigh of relief.
derick.khumalo