adminTinashe Hazvide
THE love of goat meat saw a villager from Ngani Village in Chief Mutambara’s area stealing his neighbour’s she-goat and slaughtered it. Basel Madzinga (46) appeared before Mutare magistrate Mrs Annie Ndiraya recently and pleaded guilty to stock-theft charges he was facing as defined in Section 114 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23.
The court heard that on October 22, Madzinga realised that his neighbour, Sharon Hungwe, had left her goats unattended in the grazing area following which a white she-goat was stolen.
When Hungwe went back to collect the goats, she discovered that one she-goat was missing and she searched for it, but could not find it.
The following day, Hungwe was approached by her neighbour informing her that she had found the place where her goat had been slaughtered and that he had spotted Madzinga coming from that place.
She went to the place and found the head, four legs and offal. All the recovered pieces had decomposed. A report was made to the police leading to Madzinga’s arrest.
In his defence, Madzinga said he stole the goat because he had not eaten meat for a long time and had no money to buy some.
“I had not eaten meat for a long time Your Worship and I am poor. I don’t have money to buy meat and I have a family to take care of. I admit that what I did was wrong,” said Madzinga.
Mrs Ndiraya ordered him to pay Hungwe $30 which is equivalent to the value of the goat he killed and to pay a fine of $20 or face 40 days imprisonment.
Online Reporter