News / Regional
Man gets 40 years in jail for stealing cattle
25 Mar 2012 at 21:45hrs | Views
Three rustlers operating in Matabeleland South were arrested during a provincial anti-stock theft operation and have now been jailed for periods ranging from 20 to 40 years.
Cosmas Ncube (34) of Farm Number 81, Shape area in Gwanda, was convicted on his own plea of guilty to stock theft by Gwanda magistrate, Miss Sheila Nazombe.
He was sentenced to an effective 40 years.
Miss Nazombe convicted Ncube of stealing 17 cattle from his neighbour. Ncube was arrested on March 15 while moving the cattle from Shape area to Montana Abattoir in Bulawayo.
Mekia Sibanda of Guyu area in Gwanda was convicted by the same magistrate for stealing 13 cattle in Siyoga area of Beitbridge.
In November last year Sibanda teamed up with his two brothers, Moses and David, went to Siyoga village and stole 13 cattle belonging to Rodgers Dube and drove them to Filabusi.
The trio sold three cattle there while ten others were hidden but were recovered by police during an anti-stock theft operation on 10 January this year. Sibanda was arrested on March 15 while driving another herd of 17 cattle that had been stolen from Marula area in Plumtree and Lancaster Farm in Fort Rixon.
Police recovered the stolen cattle.
Sibanda's accomplices have since been convicted of the crimes and are awaiting sentencing. Obvious Nare of Shanyaugwe area in Gwanda district was also jailed for 20 years by Beitbridge magistrate, Mr Carrington Karidzagundi for stealing 4 cattle in Zezani area of Beitbridge.
Charges are that on March 1 this year, Nare, who was in the company of three other suspects who are still at large, was spotted by villagers in Zezani while driving the stolen cattle from the area to Shanyaugwe.
The villagers raised alarm with the police leading to Nare's subsequent arrest and recovery of the cattle.
Cosmas Ncube (34) of Farm Number 81, Shape area in Gwanda, was convicted on his own plea of guilty to stock theft by Gwanda magistrate, Miss Sheila Nazombe.
He was sentenced to an effective 40 years.
Miss Nazombe convicted Ncube of stealing 17 cattle from his neighbour. Ncube was arrested on March 15 while moving the cattle from Shape area to Montana Abattoir in Bulawayo.
Mekia Sibanda of Guyu area in Gwanda was convicted by the same magistrate for stealing 13 cattle in Siyoga area of Beitbridge.
In November last year Sibanda teamed up with his two brothers, Moses and David, went to Siyoga village and stole 13 cattle belonging to Rodgers Dube and drove them to Filabusi.
The trio sold three cattle there while ten others were hidden but were recovered by police during an anti-stock theft operation on 10 January this year. Sibanda was arrested on March 15 while driving another herd of 17 cattle that had been stolen from Marula area in Plumtree and Lancaster Farm in Fort Rixon.
Police recovered the stolen cattle.
Sibanda's accomplices have since been convicted of the crimes and are awaiting sentencing. Obvious Nare of Shanyaugwe area in Gwanda district was also jailed for 20 years by Beitbridge magistrate, Mr Carrington Karidzagundi for stealing 4 cattle in Zezani area of Beitbridge.
Charges are that on March 1 this year, Nare, who was in the company of three other suspects who are still at large, was spotted by villagers in Zezani while driving the stolen cattle from the area to Shanyaugwe.
The villagers raised alarm with the police leading to Nare's subsequent arrest and recovery of the cattle.
Source - Zimpapers
