A 72-YEAR-OLD man from Siachilaba in Binga was on Wednesday slapped with an effective 20 months in jail for axeing six cattle belonging to five villagers after they destroyed his vegetable garden and maize crops. STAFF REPORTER
Kanene Remba Mudimba pleaded guilty to malicious damage to property when he appeared before Binga resident magistrate Stephen Ndlovu, who convicted and sentenced him to 24 months in jail. However, four months were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.
When asked why he ruthlessly struck his neighbours’ cattle, Mudimba said: “I axed them because I was very angry when I found them destroying my vegetables and maize crops.”
In sentencing him, Ndlovu said: “Cattle are our wealth and by doing that to them, you know that you would have destroyed one’s source of livelihood. If you carelessly kill them, you would have rendered someone useless. We send our children to school through selling of cattle and they must not be damaged like that.”
Prosecutor Bruce Maphosa told the court that on September 1, Mudimba found cattle belonging to Peter Mungombe, Berita Muzamba, Solomon Muzamba, Esther Muzamba and Joe Munkuli, all of Kasikili village in Siachilaba, grazing on his vegetables and maize crop in his garden at Sebungwe River.
He was carrying an axe and ran amok axeing the six beasts and seriously wounding them.
When the villagers discovered that their beasts had been chopped, they made a report to the police and investigations established Mudimba was responsible, leading to his arrest.
