adminMarvelous Moyo Gwanda Correspondent
TWO Gwanda men yesterday appeared in court for allegedly stealing three cattle belonging to Gwanda Central Member of Parliament Edson Gumbo. Vincent Ndlovu, 34, and Edmore Mnkandla, 27, both of Nkazhe area under Chief Masuku, allegedly found the beasts in a grazing area. They made an initial appearance before magistrate Sheila Nazombe charged with two counts of stock theft.
Nazombe did not ask them to plead and remanded them out of custody to September 8 on $100 bail each.
Prosecuting, Maxwell Machokoto said between August 19 and 22 this year, Ndlovu and Mnkandla connived and went to Capital Block grazing area where they stole three steers belonging to Gumbo, 54, and drove them to Nkazhe area. “On August 22, the complainant’s cattle minder Kwakhiwe Ndlovu went to Nkazhe area looking for the three beasts and came across the two accused persons driving 11 head of cattle including the three which he was looking for.
“He selected his beasts but they were already branded with Ndlovu’s brandmark. He then left them proceeding with the other eight beasts,” Machokoto said.
The herdsman then phoned Gumbo informing him about the incident and a police report was made leading to the arrest of Ndlovu and Mnkandla. The three stolen steers had a total value of $1,500. For the second count, Ndlovu and Mnkandla were alleged to have stolen another beast belonging to Theresa Ndlovu, a villager in Masholomoshe area.
She had lost her beast worth $700 while it was also grazing at Capital Block grazing land on August 19. Five days later, she received information that there were stolen beasts which were recovered in Insindi Range. She went there and identified her cow by its earmarks.
The court heard it was among the beasts which Ndlovu and Mnkandla were allegedly found with.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter