Pair nabbed for stealing 14 cattle

TWO men from Beatrice just outside Harare appeared in court recently for allegedly stealing 14 cattle worth $10 700 from two different households.

Kevin Chimombe (48) and Malvern Chiworeso (26), appeared before Chitungwiza magistrate Mr Gideon Ruvetsa, charged with two counts of stock theft.

They both pleaded not guilty and were remanded in custody to August 6.

The prosecutor Mr Tendai Katonha alleged that on July 7 at around 9am, Misheck Chapera, a herder at Joe Muzhidziwa Welcome Home Farm subdivision 5, released 58 head of cattle to a grazing area. He hoped to collect them at around 4pm. The two accused connived with Collen Choto, who is still at large; stole three beasts and kept them at a temporary cattle pen a few kilometres away from Chiworeso’s residence.

When Chapera returned to collect the cattle, he discovered that three were missing.

Mr Katonha further alleged that on July 7, Wellington Gwarada represented by his employee, Richard Mutemeri, took 25 head of cattle into the grazing area and left them there.

The two accused again connived with Choto and stole 11 cattle comprising of six cows, two heifers, two oxen and one bull, and took them to subdivision two where they had made a temporal cattle pen.

While looking for buyers the following day, Chiworeso made contact with Shepherd Mushipe who owns butcheries in Harare.

Mushipe travelled to view the 14 cattle with his partner Albert Marapira and promised to return and buy the cattle later the same day after collecting a pick-up truck.

The two buyers became suspicious and alerted the police who arrested Chimombe and Chiworeso at the cattle pen.