Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. Five cattle rustlers have been sentenced to a combined 135 years in prison for stealing five head of cattle from Irisvale in Umzingwane District, Chronicle reported.
The accused are Clifford Charm Kunene (34), Samuel Mathe (30), Gretta Ngwenya (42), and Njabulo Khanye (29) from Bulawayo and Gift Phiri (42) from Gwanda.
They pleaded not guilty to two counts of stock theft when they appeared before the Esigodini magistrate, Mrs Nomagugu Sibanda who convicted them due to overwhelming evidence.
They were each sentenced to 27 years imprisonment of which nine years were suspended on each sentence on the condition that they do not commit a similar offence within the next five years.
Five years were further suspended on the condition that they pay US$900 restitution to the complainant.
Prosecutor, Mr Vhusani Moyo told the court that the gang first stole three cattle from the area in May and fled.
In June, they went back to the same area where they stole five beasts.
Village anti-stock theft committee members intercepted the thieves as they were intending to transport the carcasses of the stolen animals in a Mazda Titan vehicle.
Villagers who had seen the vehicle in the area laid an ambush by blocking the path of the car with stones. He said the accused persons disembarked from the car and fled on foot.
Villagers gave chase and apprehended Clifford Charm Kunene while his accomplices fled. The matter was reported to the police and Kunene implicated his accomplices. The five carcases were recovered.
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