A 41-year-old Gwanda man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for stealing 13 beasts in Botswana. PERPETUAL PHIRI OWN CORRESPONDENT
Bigboy Ndou of Tshanyaugwe village under Chief Marupi in Guyu was found guilty by Gwanda magistrate Douglas Vakayi Chikwekwe when he appeared in court facing stocktheft charges on Friday.
Ndou pleaded not guilty, but was slapped with 20 years without the option of a fine.
Four years were suspended for five years on condition that he is not convicted of any offence involving dishonesty after he is released from prison.
Two years were further suspended on condition that Ndou pays compensation of $1 800 to the owner of the beasts, Oteng Matswagole, through the clerk of court in Gwanda on or before December 2 2013.
The court heard that sometime in September, Ndou connived with two other persons Mpokeni Siziba and Tsetani Ndou, who are at large, to steal cattle from Botswana.
On September 19, Siziba and Tsetani Ndou illegally crossed into Botswana where they proceeded to some grazing land and stole 12 cattle belonging to Motswagole of Bobonong sub-district and drove them into Zimbabwe to Ndou’s homestead.
Siziba and Tsetani Ndou also stole a bull belonging to Mathew Dube of Bobonong sub-district.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
They rebranded the beasts to Ndou’s brand.
On October 12, police on an anti-stocktheft operation received information about cattle whose origin could not be explained at Ndou’s home and arrested him.
Eight beasts valued at $3 600 and the bull valued at $450 were recovered.
Motswagole and Dube positively identified their cattle from Ndou’s kraal.
In his defence, Ndou told the court that the beasts belonged to him saying they had gone missing between May and June 2013 and he decided to rebrand them after finding them.
