Harare, (New Ziana) – Chasemore Ngwenya (37) from Hwange has been sentenced to nine years for the theft of his mother’s five herd of cattle. The National Prosecuting Authority said Ngwenya was convicted by the Hwange Magistrates’ Court for two counts of theft after being caught red-handed skinning another cow worth US$450 in the Madumabisa grazing area.
Sometime in 2019 and at Madumabisa grazing area, Ngwenya stole five cattle (3 branded cattle and 2 calves) belonging to his mother valued at US$1 500 and nothing was recovered. The offence only came to light on November 4 this year when Ngwenya was found by the police skinning another cow around 5pm in the GVZ grazing area.
The cow was worth US$450 and nothing was recovered. Ngwenya was sentenced to 9 years imprisonment on the first count and another 9 years imprisonment for the second count but the court ordered that both sentences run concurrently.
Separately, the NPAZ said Talent Hanyani (31) from Mahachi Village, Chipinge was sentenced to an effective 10 years for two stock theft counts by the Chipinge Magistrates’ Court. On November 9 around 8am, the complainant released his four herd of cattle to the grazing lands.
On November 11, Hanyani went to the grazing land and took three cattle belonging to the first complainant and two beasts belonging to the second complainant, all valued at ZAR 36 500 and went away unnoticed. Hanyani was intercepted by villagers who saw him driving the cattle away from the grazing lands.
They demanded to see the animal movement permit and the police clearance. He failed to produce the documents and he was promptly apprehended by the villagers who handed him over to the police. The two complainants were notified that their cattle had been recovered and they both positively identified their beasts.
The two counts were taken as one for the purpose of sentence. Meanwhile, the NPAZ said Fungai Nyagwande (44) from Matsapa Village, Nyanga was ordered to perform 210 hours of community service by the Nyanga Magistrates’ Court for stealing seven 50kg bags of maize from his parents.
The court heard that on November 4 around 9am, the complainant’s wife went to the storeroom where they kept their maize and discovered that seven 50kg bags of maize were missing. She told her husband who tracked the wheelbarrow and footprints from the storeroom to a nearby grinding mill.
Upon arriving at the grinding mill the complainant saw his wheelbarrow and when he enquired how the wheelbarrow ended up at the mill, he was told that Nyagwande who is his son brought the wheel barrow and was selling maize to the villagers.
Nyagwande was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment of which 3 months were conditionally suspended for five years. A further 3 months was suspended on condition that Nyagwande compensates his parents US$300. The remaining 6 months were suspended on condition that Nyagwande performs 210 hours of community service.
New Ziana
