THREE suspected cattle thieves yesterday applied for the recusal of a Plumtree magistrate after they were denied bail.
Shelton Dube (21), Sibangiswani Ncube (48) and Gilbert Ncube are facing stocktheft charges after allegedly stealing 18 heads of cattle.
They appeared before Magistrate Joshua Nembaware.
The suspects through their lawyer Nqobani Sithole made an application yesterday for the magistrate’s recusal.
Sithole said the magistrate’s bail ruling was biased.
Nembaware set May 13 as the date for the ruling on the application.
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The State led by Roben Mukura alleged that on January 28 at Lydead Farm the trio hatched a plan to steal cattle from grazing paddocks.
Working on a tip-off the police intercepted the trio driving the cattle.
According to police, at least 11 313 stocktheft cases were recorded last year.
“A total of 1 150 arrests were made during the same period while a total of 5 471 suspects were convicted.
Last year, police in collaboration with the Directorate of Veterinary Services carried out an anti-stocktheft blitz.