News / National
Man steals uncle's two dogs to pay lobola
04 Nov 2013 at 04:42hrs | Views
ONIAS Nyereyemhuka
In a bizarre incident that has sent tongues wagging in Musengezi, a lovestruck man from Dombwe Farm in the area reportedly stole his uncle's two dogs which he painted and sold to raise money for lobola.
Shepherd Nyereyemhuka (27) - who is married with two children and resides at Farm number 143 in the area - allegedly stole dogs belonging to his uncle Mr Onias Nyeremhuka (64) who stays at the same farm.
To avoid early detection, Shepherd allegedly painted the dogs using white and brown paint before selling them in the same neighbourhood.
Samson Nyeremhuka (34) confirmed the incident.
"It is true that the dogs belonging to Onias, Shepherd's uncle, were stolen by the former. He stole them while I was in Harare and I only heard of the matter when I returned.
"The dogs named Buster and Machena were painted brown and white so that they could not be identified," said Samson.
One was sold to a man who was only identified as Koki who is friends with the accused, while the other was sold in Madzima area in Zvimba.
"One of the dogs was sold for $20, a jacket and a cellphone, while the other was sold for $25," said the cousin.
Samson could not confirm if the money was meant to pay for lobola as the incident took place in his absence.
"They looked for the dogs until they were found and Uncle Onias Nyereyemhuka, the owner came and collected them and took them to his plot in Chegutu," said Samson.
An aunt to the family, Mrs Sophia Rubaba (49) said she only heard about the matter as it had happened in her absence.
"I heard that Shepherd stole the dogs to raise money to settle a lobola debt with his in-laws. It is surprising how someone is willing to use money he got from selling stolen dogs for lobola payment. He should have worked to raise the money," said Mrs Rubaba.
Samson was livid over Shepherd's accusations that he (Samson) had stolen the dogs.
"Shepherd was using me as a scapegoat until the truth came out," said Samson.
Samson helped look for the dogs until they were found whereupon he informed his uncle in Harare about the developments.
"The matter was reported at Dombwe Police Station," said Samson.
Shepherd's mother Precious Nyereyemhuka (50) confirmed that her son indeed stolen the hounds.
"The dogs belong to uncle Onias and were kept at our farm since Shepherd was single until he got married. When the dogs went missing, we looked for them together. None of us suspected Shepherd of having stolen and sold them.
The matter was reported to the police where I spent the whole day.
"Uncle Onias came and demanded $20 to pay traditional healers and prophets he had consulted in an effort to recover the dogs.
"Onias said he wanted $20 to pay n'angas and prophets' consultation fees and I told him that I could not give it to him since his brother's son was the culprit," said Mrs Nyereyemhuka.
Easther Nyereyemhuka (34) Shepherd's sister said she is married and stays with her own husband's family and only heard about the matter when she visited her mother.
"I only heard that Shepherd had stolen the dogs and I do not know the details of the matter," said Easther.
When our news crew visited the Nyereyemhuka homestead, Shepherd was not at home and his whereabouts were unknown.
"Shepherd is not here. He left with his wife Maggie Matinha and their two children without indicating where they were going. He said he was going to look for a job but did not say where," said Easther.
Our news crew caught up with Onias Nyereyemhuka in Chinhoyi where he was nursing his sick mother.
"My son Shepherd stole my dogs but I forgave him to protect our relationship that is why I also withdrew the case from the police. He is my younger brother's son.
"I bought the dogs for $50 each. When the matter came out in the open Shepherd told me that he wanted to raise money to go and look for employment and not to pay lobola," he said.
Mr Onias Nyeremhuka consulted three na'ngas to recover the dogs.
"I consulted three renowned na'ngas in Chegutu, Bindura and Chinhoyi to find the whereabouts of my dogs and I was told I would recover them," he said.
Onias said he was given charms which he used to get back the dogs.
He used them for many days.
"It took less than two weeks to recover the dogs. I had lost sleep because of these dogs and when I recovered them I sent them to my plot in Chegutu," he said.
Onias said the charms were not to harm Shepherd but to recover the stolen dogs.
The people who had bought the stolen dogs did not recover their money, neither did they claim it because they realised they had bought stolen dogs said Onias.
"Shepherd is disobedient. His father gave him a beast to use for lobola, but he sold it and spent the money.
"Things are not working out well for him because he has not paid lobola with the beast. I do not loathe him and he should not fear me because he is my blood," said Onias.
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Translation by Sarudzai Mupangi
Shepherd Nyereyemhuka (27) - who is married with two children and resides at Farm number 143 in the area - allegedly stole dogs belonging to his uncle Mr Onias Nyeremhuka (64) who stays at the same farm.
To avoid early detection, Shepherd allegedly painted the dogs using white and brown paint before selling them in the same neighbourhood.
Samson Nyeremhuka (34) confirmed the incident.
"It is true that the dogs belonging to Onias, Shepherd's uncle, were stolen by the former. He stole them while I was in Harare and I only heard of the matter when I returned.
"The dogs named Buster and Machena were painted brown and white so that they could not be identified," said Samson.
One was sold to a man who was only identified as Koki who is friends with the accused, while the other was sold in Madzima area in Zvimba.
"One of the dogs was sold for $20, a jacket and a cellphone, while the other was sold for $25," said the cousin.
Samson could not confirm if the money was meant to pay for lobola as the incident took place in his absence.
"They looked for the dogs until they were found and Uncle Onias Nyereyemhuka, the owner came and collected them and took them to his plot in Chegutu," said Samson.
An aunt to the family, Mrs Sophia Rubaba (49) said she only heard about the matter as it had happened in her absence.
"I heard that Shepherd stole the dogs to raise money to settle a lobola debt with his in-laws. It is surprising how someone is willing to use money he got from selling stolen dogs for lobola payment. He should have worked to raise the money," said Mrs Rubaba.
Samson was livid over Shepherd's accusations that he (Samson) had stolen the dogs.
"Shepherd was using me as a scapegoat until the truth came out," said Samson.
Samson helped look for the dogs until they were found whereupon he informed his uncle in Harare about the developments.
"The matter was reported at Dombwe Police Station," said Samson.
Shepherd's mother Precious Nyereyemhuka (50) confirmed that her son indeed stolen the hounds.
"The dogs belong to uncle Onias and were kept at our farm since Shepherd was single until he got married. When the dogs went missing, we looked for them together. None of us suspected Shepherd of having stolen and sold them.
The matter was reported to the police where I spent the whole day.
"Uncle Onias came and demanded $20 to pay traditional healers and prophets he had consulted in an effort to recover the dogs.
"Onias said he wanted $20 to pay n'angas and prophets' consultation fees and I told him that I could not give it to him since his brother's son was the culprit," said Mrs Nyereyemhuka.
Easther Nyereyemhuka (34) Shepherd's sister said she is married and stays with her own husband's family and only heard about the matter when she visited her mother.
"I only heard that Shepherd had stolen the dogs and I do not know the details of the matter," said Easther.
When our news crew visited the Nyereyemhuka homestead, Shepherd was not at home and his whereabouts were unknown.
"Shepherd is not here. He left with his wife Maggie Matinha and their two children without indicating where they were going. He said he was going to look for a job but did not say where," said Easther.
Our news crew caught up with Onias Nyereyemhuka in Chinhoyi where he was nursing his sick mother.
"My son Shepherd stole my dogs but I forgave him to protect our relationship that is why I also withdrew the case from the police. He is my younger brother's son.
"I bought the dogs for $50 each. When the matter came out in the open Shepherd told me that he wanted to raise money to go and look for employment and not to pay lobola," he said.
Mr Onias Nyeremhuka consulted three na'ngas to recover the dogs.
"I consulted three renowned na'ngas in Chegutu, Bindura and Chinhoyi to find the whereabouts of my dogs and I was told I would recover them," he said.
Onias said he was given charms which he used to get back the dogs.
He used them for many days.
"It took less than two weeks to recover the dogs. I had lost sleep because of these dogs and when I recovered them I sent them to my plot in Chegutu," he said.
Onias said the charms were not to harm Shepherd but to recover the stolen dogs.
The people who had bought the stolen dogs did not recover their money, neither did they claim it because they realised they had bought stolen dogs said Onias.
"Shepherd is disobedient. His father gave him a beast to use for lobola, but he sold it and spent the money.
"Things are not working out well for him because he has not paid lobola with the beast. I do not loathe him and he should not fear me because he is my blood," said Onias.
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Translation by Sarudzai Mupangi
Source - herald
