Online Reporter
Trish Mukwazo, [email protected]
A BULAWAYO butchery worker is in trouble after he was allegedly caught red-handed with over 240kg of suspicious meat stashed in a cold room — and couldn’t say where it came from!
Tapiwa Marava (33) of North End suburb, who works at Prime Meats Butchery in the city centre, appeared in court this week facing a stock theft charge that has tongues wagging across town.
The meat — a whopping 243,75kg of soiled, deboned flesh — was discovered on 29 April during a routine check at the butchery located along 13th Avenue between Basch and Lobengula Streets.
A court heard that Marava was unable to produce any receipts or documentation to explain the suspicious stash, sparking fears of back-door meat deals or links to cattle rustling rings.
“When questioned by the complainant, the accused failed to give a satisfactory explanation regarding the origin of the meat,” said prosecutor Ms Mufaro Ndirayire.
A police report was quickly filed, and Marava was hauled in for questioning.
He was later released on US$50 bail and remanded to 14 May by magistrate Mrs Evia Matura.
The meat, which had reportedly begun to spoil, was condemned and destroyed by health authorities — but not before raising a serious stink in Bulawayo’s meat circles.
Prime Meats Butchery has remained tight-lipped, but insiders suggest more heads could roll as investigations continue into the mysterious meat stash.
Where did it come from? Who else is involved? And was this just the tip of the iceberg?
Stay tuned.
B-Metro is on it like a steak on a sizzling braai!
derick.khumalo