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The two were arrested during a recent anti-stock theft operation in Beitbridge District.
The man and his 14-year-old son both of Ngoma area in Gwanda District pleaded not guilty to stocktheft charges as defined in section 114 of the Criminal Law (Reform and Codification) Act when they appeared before Beitbridge magistrate Ms Gwineth Drawo.
The man was remanded in custody to 28 May for continuation of trial while his son was placed under the custody of a relative.
The State opposed bail, arguing that if granted bail, there was no guarantee that the man would not abscond given the gravity of the offence.
It was also noted that if given bail, he would interfere with ongoing police investigations.
Clad in khaki prison garb, the frail and old looking man, however, insisted during cross-examination that he was being framed.
His son with kinky hair and dirty clothes stood in the dock defencelessly.
The prosecutor, Mr Jabulani Mberesi, said on 1 March, the man and his son teamed up with Polite Ndlovu, Witness Moyo and Tshengu Moyo who are still at large.
They then connived and went to Dodieburn Ranch where they spotted the complainants’ cattle grazing.
The court heard that the man and his accomplices drove the animals to their homesteads in Ngoma where they penned them. Acting on a tip-off, police descended on the accused’s homestead and arrested them leading to the discovery of some of the stolen cattle.
Online Reporter