Woman attacks cattle in revenge for cat's death

A Masvingo woman allegedly axed and seriously injured his brother-in-law's two beasts in an act of revenge after accusing him of being behind the gruesome injury of her cat.

The woman, Raviro Mushava (28) of Mukusha Village, has since been dragged before a Masvingo Magistrates' Court facing charges of contravening the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. Mushava was not asked to plead when she appeared before provincial magistrate Mr Langton Ndokera, who remanded her out of custody to November 14 for trial.

In her defence, Mushava is arguing that she axed her brother-in-law's two cattle after he beat and left her "beloved'' cat for dead, forcing her to throw it into a toilet pit because of its near to none chances of survival. Mushava is arguing that the dead cat, besides being her pet, was very important in her life as it helped reduce the population of rodents that regularly preyed on her farm produce.

Prosecutor Mr Edmond Mapope alleged that on October 28 this year, Mushava discovered that her cat had been severely injured. Mushava then allegedly concluded that her brother-in-law, Mr Brian Chakaonei, was behind the injuries to her pet. In a fit of rage, she allegedly sharpened an axe and proceeded to Mr Chakaonei's cattle pen where she axed two beasts on their thighs, leaving them with deep cuts and bleeding profusely.