Police bust stocktheft ring

POLICE have busted a four-member gang from Zhombe who have been wreaking havoc in Gweru rural, stealing villagers’ goats and sheep in the pastures and selling their meat to unsuspecting people.

The four were reportedly arrested under the recently introduced police day-patrols with one of the suspects apprehended while on a routine livestock stealing jaunt.

The four suspects, Samson Mativenga (53) his teenage son, Abel (16), James Siziba (22) and Only Sithole (22) were by yesterday evening still assisting police with indications.

Some carcasses of slaughtered sheep and goats were recovered.

The quartet all from Chief Samambwa Zhombe were later detained at Gweru Rural Police Station.

When our news crew visited Gweru Rural Police Station yesterday, the four were being interviewed with complainants coming in to identify some of their stolen stock.

Gweru Rural police officer-in-charge, Chief Inspector Samuel Tadzaushe confirmed the arrests but declined to give details referring Chronicle to the acting police spokesperson for Midlands Province, Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende.

“What are you looking for here? We don’t give comments to the media please excuse us and go to our provincial spokesperson’s office, we have sent them a memo with regards to the arrests,” he said.

Asst Insp Mukwende said they were still to get the details of the matter.

Sources said the police at Gweru rural responded to complaints from villagers in the surrounding resettlement areas following an upsurge in stock theft during the day.

“The police got some tip-offs to the effect that the gang was in the habit of going around stealing livestock from the grazing areas,” said the source.

The source said the police who were patrolling some of the grazing areas came across one of the suspects, Siziba driving a herd.

“He immediately took to his heels but the police apprehended him following a long chase. He later helped the police in the arrest of his three of his accomplices,” said the source.

One of the complainants, Mrs Lizzy Makaro said the gang had built a makeshift structure in the Gwenoro area on the outskirts of Gweru where they have been hiding their loot.

“I recovered carcasses of my goats at the structure after the suspects went there in the company of the police for the purposes of indications,” she said.