AN elderly woman from Imbesu Park in Ntabazinduna has been arrested for allegedly stealing 17 heads cattle.
Sithabile Ngwenya (71) appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Beverly Madzikatira to answer to a charge of stocktheft, where she pleaded not guilty.
She was remanded in custody to January 21 this year.
The court was told that between August 18 and September 8 last year, Ngwenya, along with Muneyi Ndlovu, who fled the scene, stole 17 cattle from Edias Musarira (43).
Ngwenya allegedly drove them to her plot in Ntabazinduna, where she branded the beasts MEXH on the rear left side using an area branding iron.
Ngwenya reportedly later went to the police and veterinary offices to clear the cattle, claiming they were hers.
Keep Reading
- Ndiweni: I’m going nowhere
- Ndiweni: I’m going nowhere
- AMH pledges to create more dialogue platforms
- Chiwenga heads for AMH conference
It is the State’s case that after clearing the cattle, Ngwenya hired a truck and transported them to Bulawayo abattoirs in Kelvin West, where she sold the beasts.
The complainant received a report from his herdboy that 17 of his cattle were missing from the kraal.
The total value of the stolen cattle is US$14 000 and nothing was recovered.