BY STEPHEN CHADENGA
POLICE in Gweru have arrested four suspected cattle rustlers who stole cattle, kept them at a farm in the Midlands capital and later sold them.
Midlands provincial police spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko yesterday confirmed the arrest of Chriswell Maponga (42), Walter Mukiza (40), Tineyi Moyo (38) and Fanwell Zitiga (31).
According to Mahoko, the quartet allegedly stole cattle from grazing lands in Mvuma, Lalapanzi and Chiwundura, before driving them to a farm in Gweru where they would sell the beasts to unsuspecting locals.
“The gang would allegedly steal cattle from grazing land and keep them at a Gweru farm from where they would sell them,” Mahoko said. He said the arrest followed a tip-off on the whereabouts of Maponga, who was on the police most wanted list for breaching bail conditions for another stocktheft case.
“Maponga had initially been arrested and remanded out of custody by the court in a case where he had been found in possession of 14 cattle.
“He (Maponga) then breached bail conditions, prompting the court to issue a warrant of arrest, leading to his recent arrest.
“Upon arrest, Maponga implicated the other three which later led to the arrest of Zitiga, Moyo and Mukiza.”
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The four have since appeared in court facing stocktheft charges.
Mahoko urged the public to clear livestock transactions with the police to avoid buying stolen cattle.
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