News / National
Donkey stealing syndicate nabbed
14 Dec 2021 at 05:48hrs | Views
POLICE in Nyamandlovu have busted a donkey stealing syndicate and recovered 11 donkeys.
Matabeleland North spokesperson Inspector Glory Banda confirmed the development and the arrest of three suspects.
"Zimbabwe Republic Police in Matabeleland North Province confirms the arrest of Tobias Ncube (32), Vincent Ncube (24) both from Tshesa Forest Village, Nyamandlovu and Vusa Milanzi (50) of Epping Forest Village 1, Nyamandlovu in connection with cases of stock theft which occurred at Dilkosh grazing area, Nyamandlovu," said Insp Banda.
He said three farmers from Dilkosh Village 1 lost 13 donkeys on different dates between June 2020 and this month.
Insp Banda said investigations carried out by police led to the arrest of the three suspects while their accomplice Promise Sibanda is still at large.
"A total of eleven donkeys were recovered. One was found in possession of Tobias Ncube and 10 were recovered from Vincent Ncube.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police Matabeleland North is therefore appealing for information which may lead to the arrest of the outstanding suspect Promise Sibanda," said Insp Banda.
A village head from the area who did not want to be named said the criminal network involves people from as far as Matobo and Tsholotsho.
The village head said one of the accused persons is an informer operating from the ground and he allegedly passes information to rustlers who conduct raids.
"This problem has been ongoing for a long time and we finally teamed up with police when the last case was reported and managed to trace our donkeys to the accused persons. We found some of the donkeys which had been stolen recently," said the village head.
He said the suspects told police that once they steal the donkeys in Nyamandlovu they take them to Pumula suburb in Bulawayo under the pretext of transporting firewood for sale.
Once they get to Pumula, he said the suspects told police that they exchange the donkeys with those that would have been stolen in Matobo and other areas which they take to Nyamandlovu.
"During our search we found donkeys from other areas. They said the network goes as far as Tsholotsho which makes it difficult for farmers to locate the donkeys," said the village head.
Matabeleland North spokesperson Inspector Glory Banda confirmed the development and the arrest of three suspects.
"Zimbabwe Republic Police in Matabeleland North Province confirms the arrest of Tobias Ncube (32), Vincent Ncube (24) both from Tshesa Forest Village, Nyamandlovu and Vusa Milanzi (50) of Epping Forest Village 1, Nyamandlovu in connection with cases of stock theft which occurred at Dilkosh grazing area, Nyamandlovu," said Insp Banda.
He said three farmers from Dilkosh Village 1 lost 13 donkeys on different dates between June 2020 and this month.
Insp Banda said investigations carried out by police led to the arrest of the three suspects while their accomplice Promise Sibanda is still at large.
"A total of eleven donkeys were recovered. One was found in possession of Tobias Ncube and 10 were recovered from Vincent Ncube.
A village head from the area who did not want to be named said the criminal network involves people from as far as Matobo and Tsholotsho.
The village head said one of the accused persons is an informer operating from the ground and he allegedly passes information to rustlers who conduct raids.
"This problem has been ongoing for a long time and we finally teamed up with police when the last case was reported and managed to trace our donkeys to the accused persons. We found some of the donkeys which had been stolen recently," said the village head.
He said the suspects told police that once they steal the donkeys in Nyamandlovu they take them to Pumula suburb in Bulawayo under the pretext of transporting firewood for sale.
Once they get to Pumula, he said the suspects told police that they exchange the donkeys with those that would have been stolen in Matobo and other areas which they take to Nyamandlovu.
"During our search we found donkeys from other areas. They said the network goes as far as Tsholotsho which makes it difficult for farmers to locate the donkeys," said the village head.
Source - The Chronicle
