Stock thief locked up for 9 years

A MAN from Beatrice, who stole a black heifer worth $800, was yesterday slapped with a nine-year prison sentence by a Chitungwiza court.

Eriah Marenga (29) was convicted on his own plea of guilty when he appeared before magistrate Mr Oliver Mudzongachiso.

Prosecutor Ms Beaula Chikono proved that sometime in December last year, Marenga, who is employed by Ms Joana Themba as a cattle herder, was left to tend to 23 cattle.

He reportedly connived with his workmate, Rhainos Mudyiwa, and sold one black heifer for $350 to Pastor Sharon. It is believed that Pastor Sharon and three other people slaughtered the heifer and ferried the meat to her place.

When Ms Themba returned to her farm on April 24, she discovered that one heifer was missing.

She inquired about the missing animal, but Marenga told her that he had left the beast behind since it had just calved.

On April 25, Mrs Themba received a tip-off from Marenga’s wife that he had sold the heifer to Pastor Sharon.

Ms Themba then filed a police report, leading to Marenga’s arrest.

Meanwhile, another Beatrice man who injured a school child with the rear view mirror of his vehicle was yesterday ordered to pay $80 fine.

Enoch Mataruse appeared before Mr Mudzongachiso charged with negligent driving. He pleaded guilty to the charge. Mataruse will spend 40 days in jail if he fails to pay the fine.

Further, Mr Mudzongachiso ordered Mataruse to surrender his driver’s licence for endorsement.

The court heard that on January 22 this year at around 6.05am, Mataruse was driving a Toyota Corolla along the Harare-Masvingo Road.

Upon approaching a 30km peg, Mataruse - who was accused of speeding under the circumstances and failing to sound a horn, stop or act reasonably when an accident seemed imminent - hit the school child who was attempting to cross the road with his rear view mirror.

According to the medical report produced in court, the child could have suffered permanent injury as a result of the accident.