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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu
A 25-year-oldA� Mangwe man was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for stealing his grandfathera��s six beasts with the assistance of his brother who is still at large.
Khulumani Ndebele of Khame Village in Mphoengs area was convicted on his own plea of guilty to stock theft by Plumtree magistrate, Taurai Manwere.
He was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment and one year was suspended on condition that he pays $600 restitution to Mathias Moyo by February 28.
a�?The offence you committed is serious and has a mandatory sentence of nine years. Unless you have a compelling reason to explain why you committed this offence can I reconsider this sentence,a�? said Manwere as he asked Ndebele to pass his mitigation.
In his defence, Ndebele said his brother Khumbulani Ndebele had asked him to help drive the six beasts from their grandfathera��s farm in Mangwe District to Sontala Village in Kezi.
Ndebele said he was only following his brothera��s orders and was not aware of his malicious intent.
Prosecuting, Rose Sibanda said Ndebele and his accomplice stole the beasts sometime from February to December last year.
a�?On a date unknown but from February to December 2016 Khulumani Ndebele and Khumbulani Ndebele, who is still at large, took six beasts belongings to Mathias Moyo and they drove them to a homestead in Sontala Village in Kezi.
a�?Khumbulani branded the cattle using his fathera��s brand mark and also put ear tags with his cellphone number and kept the six beasts as his own,a�? said Sibanda.
She said on December 20 three of the beasts went back to Moyoa��s farm where he realised that they had been rebranded.
Sibanda said Moyo reported the matter to the police who carried out investigations leading to Ndebelea��e arrest while his accomplice is still at large.
She said the value of the stolen beasts was $2 400 and three beasts valued at $1 200 were recovered. . .
derick.khumalo