A 30-year-old villager from Chief Nemangwe area in Gokwe was last week jailed to 12 years for stocktheft after stealing two beasts worth $1 400 from a teacher in the district.
Report by Richard Muponde
Cuthbert Maphosa of Makainganwa Village was convicted on his own plea of guilty to two counts of stocktheft when he appeared before Gokwe resident magistrate Shepherd Mjanja last Thursday.
He was sentenced to 14 years in prison of which two years were conditionally suspended for three years. Prosecutor Rumbidzai Katsande told the court that on March 20, the complainant, Eddison Rugwaro from Never Village in Gokwe penned his cattle at around 6pm.
During the same night, Maphosa stole two of Rugwaro’s cattle worth $1 400.
Rugwaro discovered the theft the following morning and reported the matter to the neighbourhood watch committee members.
Investigations later led to the arrest of Maphosa who then led to the recovery of the beasts from Elias Jackson and Bheura Charuma with whom he had swapped the animals.
