Chicken thief apparently starts clucking and behaving like one

A Chicken thief from Tsholotsho apparently began to cluck like a chicken whenever he went near people.

The man, Venti Mathe (39) reportedly visited the complainant Ngqbutho Nkomo (36) where he later stole eight chicken before disappearing. A few days later, Mathe is said to have started making chicken sounds and it became worse when he went out or was near other people.

He then went to the complainant who reported the matter to police leading to Mathe's arrest.

The alleged chicken thief was hauled before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Temba Chimiso and he pleaded guilty to theft charges. Mathe reportedly begged the magistrate to be lenient with him as he had already suffered a lot by acting like a chicken for two weeks. Mathe told the magistrate that he was afraid of suffering further if was he was sent to prison.

He further told the court that all his efforts of getting help from prophets and traditional healers had been in vain as he was continuously behaving like a chicken.

Prosecutor Tatenda Dakwa, called witnesses who CONFIRMED that Mathe at times behaved like a chicken. The magistrate then ordered Mathe to pay for the chicken before slapping him with 60 days imprisonment with hard labour.

Nkomo told the court that the accused was being punished by his ancestors and there was no way he could assist him. He advised Mathe to go for a cleansing ceremony after paying him.