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2 men steal 72 cattle

by Staff reporter
06 Jun 2015 at 19:03hrs | Views
Two Chivhu men who were nabbed with 72 stolen cattle at one of the accused's farm will on Tuesday next week stand before Chivhu magistrate Archie Wochiwunga facing stock theft charges.

Pascah Sengende and Taperesu Chivavava first appeared before Chivhu Area Magistrate on May 21 this year before the matter was postponed to Tuesday next week after the accused's lawyer requested time to study the case.

According to court papers, the duo was arrested by Chivhu police after being found in charge of a huge herd of cattle which they failed to account for.

It is reported that when police details went to Murezi area, investigating stock theft cases, they bumped into one Pascah Sengende's kraal at 481 Lancashire, Chivhu and found 72 cattle, which Sengende failed to account for.

After being questioned it is alleged that Sengende implicated Chivavava of Plot Number 10, Hebron farm, Chivhu as his accomplice leading to his arrest.

It is reported that police impounded the cattle which were driven to Morrison farm, near Chivhu town where stock theft victims were invited to come and identify their stolen cattle.

It is alleged that the duo had developed a scheme whereby they stole cattle from other farmers in Chivhu or beyond and would keep the loot at Sengende's farm, pending sales to butcheries or individuals.

Peter Declerk Johannes of Zininga farm, lost 10 herd of cattle during the night on June 11 last year which were driven to Sengende's farm at Murezi.

The 10 cattle were positively identified at Morrison farm by the owner.

In another cases, on September 15, 2014, Notice Hokonya, manager at Blighnaught farm in Chivhu lost 16 cattle, which the duo allegedly drove to Sengende's holding farm.

On May 3, this year the accused allegedly stole again four cattle from Brighnaught farm and drove them to Sengende's holding farm.

The farmer lost 20 beasts to the stock thieves.

Of the 20, 16 were positively identified, including two which had already been sold to one Tonderai Mataruka, a Chivhu farmer.

It is reported that after stealing the beasts, the duo would rebrand the stolen cattle with JJ branding marks for Chikomba district.

Chivhu police have recovered the branding iron bar.

Forty-two cattle have been positively identified by some farmers out of a total of 72.

Police are pursuing some leads on other potential holding sites of stolen cattle.

George Mukototsi represented the state.

Source - zbc
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