adminShamiso Dzingire Court Reporter
A MBEMBESI man was yesterday arraigned in court for allegedly selling a stray ox.
Shepherd Melusi Mthambo of Matanjeni village allegedly sold the beast that strayed into his father’s herd in 2012 to Lovemore Moyo who later slaughtered and sold it at SCS butchery.
Mthambo was not asked to plead when he briefly appeared before Bulawayo Magistrate Charity Maphosa facing a count of stock theft.
He was remanded in custody to July 13 for plea recording.
Prosecuting, Taurai Hondoyemoto said sometime in 2012, the ox strayed into the herd of Mihlayifani Mthambo, who is the father of the accused.
“His father reported the stray ox to police officers who were on patrol and to the village head and was instructed to keep the beast,” Hondoyemoto said.
On May 7, the court heard, Melusi sold the beast without his father’s knowledge.
He allegedly got approval from the deputy village head who believed the beast belonged to Mthambo as he always saw it among his herd and penned in his kraal.
Police received a tip off leading to Melusi’s arrest.
The beast was valued at $600 and nothing was recovered.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter