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Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
A SENIOR police officer has been slapped with a nine-year jail sentence for stealing a bull from Matobo Research Farm.
Washington Muchenu, 41, an Assistant Inspector stationed at Mzilikazi Police Station in Bulawayo, slaughtered a breeding bull valued at $4,000 in the middle of the night and packed the meat in bags.
He then loaded 194 kilogrammes of beef into his car and proceeded to an unknown destination.
Muchenu who has served in the police force for 19 years had denied the allegations but Plumtree magistrate, Livard Philemon convicted him due to overwhelming evidence.
In passing sentence Philemon lashed out at the cop for his reckless behaviour.
“As a police officer you’re expected to be a custodian of the law but you’re, instead, in the forefront of breaking it. Stocktheft cases are among the prevalent crimes in this part of the region and people like you’re not making efforts of reducing these cases.
“The evidence which has been presented to this court by the witnesses’ links you to the offence and it can’t be disputed that you committed the offence and I find you guilty,” he said.
Prosecuting, Stanley Chinyanganya said Muchenu stole the bull on July 31 last year around 9PM.
He said Muchenu connived with accomplices who are still at large and proceeded to Matobo Research Farm where they slaughtered the bull.
Chinyanganya said Muchenu was intercepted by farm officials and workers from nearby farms.
They caught up with him after a 3km chase when his car developed a rear tyre puncture and his accomplices had fled the scene.
A group of men apprehended Muchenu and handcuffed him with his service handcuffs.
“An unfamilar vehicle was spotted in our area at night and we proceeded to inquire. We confronted Muchenu who produced his police identity card in order to brush us off but I insisted on inspecting his vehicle.
“Instead he sped off and we chased him and caught up with him at West Acre area where we found him alone while off loading bags of fresh meat. l then cuffed him with his handcuffs and we escorted him to the police station,” said George Dube, a farm manager at Cyrene Mission.
Online Reporter