Bid to impress pregnant wife lands Somabhula man in prison
By Dumisani Ndlovu
A Somabhula man who sold stolen cattle as a strategy to raise income to buy preparation for his 7 months pregnant wife was sentenced to ten years in prison for stock theft.
Clive Ncube (26) of Cyndrella resetlement area in Somabhula, on the outskirts of Gweru pleaded guilty to the charge when he appeared before Gweru magistrate, Beaulity Dube.
He was convicted and sentenced to ten years imprisonment term. One year was suspended on conditions that he pay US$630 to compensate the two unrecovered stolen oxen to the complainant, Joice Sibanda.
Ncube appeared in court together with Enock Fosi and Christopher Dende who were accused of having participated in committing the crime which the convicted Ncube denied, indicating that the two were not part of his stock theft syndicate.
“Your worship, I wonder why you are troubling both the first and second accused, they did not commit the crime, I was with my young brother and a friend who are still at large,” Ncube told the court.
Agreed facts as presented to the court are that the period between 13 and 17 March 2024, the accused two who are still at large, stole two oxen from the complainant’s kraal, where the cattle header, Nqabutho Ndlovu had kept US$630 hem safe.
On the day in question, the complainant, Joyce Sibanda had gone to church.
The court heard that the two Gugulethu Sibanda and an unidentified co-accused took the oxen to the convicted Ncube’s residential area in Somabhula.
The court also heard that Ncube received the cattle knowing were stolen.
Hell brook loose when he tried to fraudulently add it to the his relative’s stock card for easy clearance of beast after securing buyers, sell and get his share with an intention to please his pregnant darling.
“On the 17th of March 2024 the accused took stock card belonging Sandra Ncube’s father purporting to convince the local diptank attendant to deceitfully register the stolen cattle on the stock as they had secured a buyer Fungai Mpofu from Woodlands Phase 2, Gweru who had paid $310 each for two beasts, ”said the state.
Police got a tip-off following a report of stock theft and indications that the accused went to the dip tank where he tried to convince the dip attendant to register the two beasts into his father’s stock card.
The stolen beasts were reportedly recovered by somabhula police and taken to the headman for safe keeping.
It is however not clear why the beasts were registered as not recovered. was seen being driven by Ndlovu to his in-laws where he had gone to pay lobola.
On her submission, Prosecutor, Ruvimbo Mutemen said” It seems the accused has no special circumstances to tender, hence this court should proceed with the mandatory sentence as stipulated by the law.
“The stock was not recovered, the accused benefitted from the crime, the complainant lost.
“Livestock are valuable assets. It will taint the court’s image if the court treats this case with lenience, The accused should be sentenced mandatory 9 years, “said Prosecutor Mutemen.
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