Cattle rustlers dragged to court for theft of two heifers

TWO MAN  from Battlefields area in Ntabazinduna have been dragged to court for allegedly stealing two heifers and one calf which they sold to a cattle buyer.

The two Victor Ngwenya (32) and Khumbulani Sibanda (26) were not asked to plead to stock theft charges when they appeared before Mbembesi court circuit.

They were remanded to May 27 for trial.

The court heard that  sometime in May this year the two met Shepherd Mpengesi at Battlefields Shopping Centre in Ntabazinduna who was looking for some cattle to buy. They told him that they had some cattle for sale which they would take from the grazing lands. On May 15 at 9pm they took two heifers and one calf from the grazing area and drove them to Mpengesi"s homestead where they sold them to him.

Mpengesi then changed the ear marks on the cattle.

On May 16 the cattle ran away to their place of origin. On May 17the cattle owner who is not named in the court papers became suspicious after seeing his cattle"s ear marks changed and drove his herd to the grazing area where he laid ambush to see who will take his cattle. It is the state case that Mpengesi came and tried to drive away the cattle and the owner told him that the cattle belonged to him.

That is when Mpengesi revealed that he bought the cattle from the two. A report made to the police led to the arrest of the two.

The cattle stolen worth $1200 and were recovered.