News / Regional
Couple steals, slaughters 5-day-old calf
17 Nov 2015 at 16:26hrs | Views
A LALAPANZI couple employed as farm general workers has been slapped with a 10 year prison term for stealing and slaughtering their employer's five day old calf.
Paul Mapurisa, 28, and his wife Priscilla Mpofu, 23, of Mahamara farm in Lalapanzi were sentenced on their own plea of guilty to one count of stocktheft by Provincial Magistrate Phathekile Msipha.
In passing sentence, Msipha said the couple had breached the trust their boss, Edmore Matutu, had bestowed on them.
"You broke the trust that your boss had on you. You deserve to be punished for what you did," said the magistrate. He said in coming up with the sentence, he had taken into account that the two were first time offenders who had not wasted the court's time by pleading guilty. The magistrate suspended six months from the sentence on condition that the two do not commit a similar offence within the next five years.
A further six months were suspended on condition that they each restitute Matutu of $61 before November 30.
Asked why they stole the calf, the shabbily dressed couple said they did it out of hunger.
"We were starving and wanted some relish," said Mapurisa.
Prosecuting Bernard Nyoni told the court that on November 1 this year, just before 7AM the duo went to Matutu's cattle pen and took one male calf.
"The duo broke into their boss's cattle pen and Mapurisa slaughtered the calf whilst his wife was holding it and watching out for any passerby," said Nyoni.
He said when Matutu woke up at around 7AM, he counted his cattle and realised that his calf was missing. He said the cattle owner looked for the calf to no avail. He later noticed that the cattle pen's gate was not properly closed.
Nyoni told the court that one of the farm employees later tipped Matutu that Mapurisa and his wife were eating beef in their hut.
"Matutu went to the couple's hut and found dried meat and further investigations led to the recovery of the calf's head which was buried in a garden," he said.
The matter was then reported to the police leading to the couple's arrest.
Paul Mapurisa, 28, and his wife Priscilla Mpofu, 23, of Mahamara farm in Lalapanzi were sentenced on their own plea of guilty to one count of stocktheft by Provincial Magistrate Phathekile Msipha.
In passing sentence, Msipha said the couple had breached the trust their boss, Edmore Matutu, had bestowed on them.
"You broke the trust that your boss had on you. You deserve to be punished for what you did," said the magistrate. He said in coming up with the sentence, he had taken into account that the two were first time offenders who had not wasted the court's time by pleading guilty. The magistrate suspended six months from the sentence on condition that the two do not commit a similar offence within the next five years.
A further six months were suspended on condition that they each restitute Matutu of $61 before November 30.
Asked why they stole the calf, the shabbily dressed couple said they did it out of hunger.
"We were starving and wanted some relish," said Mapurisa.
Prosecuting Bernard Nyoni told the court that on November 1 this year, just before 7AM the duo went to Matutu's cattle pen and took one male calf.
"The duo broke into their boss's cattle pen and Mapurisa slaughtered the calf whilst his wife was holding it and watching out for any passerby," said Nyoni.
He said when Matutu woke up at around 7AM, he counted his cattle and realised that his calf was missing. He said the cattle owner looked for the calf to no avail. He later noticed that the cattle pen's gate was not properly closed.
Nyoni told the court that one of the farm employees later tipped Matutu that Mapurisa and his wife were eating beef in their hut.
"Matutu went to the couple's hut and found dried meat and further investigations led to the recovery of the calf's head which was buried in a garden," he said.
The matter was then reported to the police leading to the couple's arrest.
Source - chronicle
