News / Regional
12 people arrested for cross-border cattle rustling
10 Mar 2012 at 03:59hrs | Views
POLICE have arrested 12 suspected cross-border cattle rustlers and recovered 76 more stolen cattle, bringing to 121 the number of the beasts recovered since the launch of the ongoing anti-stock theft operation in Matabeleland North and South Provinces.
The operation in Matabeleland North was launched on 20 February and is a joint operation between police in the province and their counterparts in neighbouring Botswana.
The operation is aimed at curbing rampant cross-border cattle rustling that has seen hundreds of cattle stolen by syndicates from each country, who then exchange them.
A suspect, Joel Ndebele (56), who was arrested under the operation, was yesterday sentenced to an effective 24 years in prison by a Tsholotsho magistrate, after 15 head of cattle that were stolen from Botswana were recovered from him.
A total of 13 cows from the lot belonged to one complainant.
Complainants from Botswana went to Tsholotsho Police Station yesterday, where they positively identified their cattle, which were stolen in July last year.
However, the owners are in a dilemma because authorities in Botswana do not allow cattle from other countries to cross their border due to foot and mouth disease. They might be forced to sell their beasts in Zimbabwe.
Next week, Zimbabweans would go to Botswana to identify theirs.
In an interview yesterday, the officer commanding Lupane Police District, Chief Superintendent Johannes Govo, said police were poised to make more arrests.
He said police were determined to put an end to rustling.
"The police were concerned by an increase in rustling activities, especially at Bambadzi in Bulilima district, which is at the 22 (two-two) border with Botswana, at the beginning of this year.
We then launched the operation to clean up the area," said Chief Supt Govo.
The operation in Matabeleland North was launched on 20 February and is a joint operation between police in the province and their counterparts in neighbouring Botswana.
The operation is aimed at curbing rampant cross-border cattle rustling that has seen hundreds of cattle stolen by syndicates from each country, who then exchange them.
A suspect, Joel Ndebele (56), who was arrested under the operation, was yesterday sentenced to an effective 24 years in prison by a Tsholotsho magistrate, after 15 head of cattle that were stolen from Botswana were recovered from him.
A total of 13 cows from the lot belonged to one complainant.
Complainants from Botswana went to Tsholotsho Police Station yesterday, where they positively identified their cattle, which were stolen in July last year.
However, the owners are in a dilemma because authorities in Botswana do not allow cattle from other countries to cross their border due to foot and mouth disease. They might be forced to sell their beasts in Zimbabwe.
Next week, Zimbabweans would go to Botswana to identify theirs.
In an interview yesterday, the officer commanding Lupane Police District, Chief Superintendent Johannes Govo, said police were poised to make more arrests.
He said police were determined to put an end to rustling.
"The police were concerned by an increase in rustling activities, especially at Bambadzi in Bulilima district, which is at the 22 (two-two) border with Botswana, at the beginning of this year.
We then launched the operation to clean up the area," said Chief Supt Govo.
Source - TC
