TWO cattle rustlers from Mawabeni in Esigodini have been slapped with an effective 18-year jail term each for stealing and slaughtering their neighbour’s beast.
BY SILAS NKALA
Kudzai Ndlovu (30) and Lovemore Bhajila (36) had denied the charge but were convicted due to overwhelming evidence proffered the State when they appeared before resident magistrate, Tawanda Muchemwa on Tuesday.
Prosecutor Jefter Nyikadzinashe told the court that on February 22, the complainant, Mcedisi Sibanda, of Nhlangano Ranch in Esigodini dipped his cattle and drove them to the grazing land where the convicts slaughtered one cow and were arrested while transporting the beef to Mawabeni business centre.
The two later led the police to the scene where the cow was slaughtered and a green tag inscribed Nhlangano Ranch and the owner’s phone number was recovered. The value of the stolen cow was $600.
