The animals were stolen at Mr Nkomo’s farm in Umguza
District and police have since launched a manhunt for the two herders, Tatenda
Chimombe and Blessed Neganje.
The matter was reported at Insuza Police Station and is
being handled by Assistant Inspector Khumalo.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul
Nyathi yesterday confirmed the case, saying investigations were underway.
The latest development comes barely a month after two men
from Emganwini suburb in Bulawayo were recently intercepted and arrested by
police for rustling a herd of 19 cattle.
Edmore Bhibhi (46) and Farai Pambukani (28) were spotted by
an informant driving a truck loaded with cattle along Esigodini road.
The informant tried to stop them but they sped towards
Bulawayo before the pair’s arrest.
Mr Nkomo said he became suspicious following the discovery
of carcasses of six stolen beasts at an abattoir located on the outskirts of
Bulawayo.
The stolen animals belonged to Mduduzi Mloyi, and they were
slaughtered at the abattoir after they were cleared by authorities from Insuza
on December 21 last year.
This triggered Mr Nkomo to conduct a stocktake to check his
herd leading to the discovery of 42 missing cattle.
Mr Nkomo said he suspected Chimombe and Neganje started
stealing the beasts in August last year, which was the last time they carried
out a livestock stocktake. He said Neganje vanished in early December.
Mr Nkomo later got a tip-off that some unknown trucks were
spotted at his farm at night.
“Despite the normal stocktake, I was also influenced to
carry out another stocktaking in December following reports of trucks being
spotted at my farm at night,” said Mr Nkomo.
“Our August stocktake revealed that there were 119 cattle
and in his December 7, 2023 report Chimombe had given us a figure of 106
cattle, comprising three bulls, 26 cows, 45 heifers, 24 weaners, and eight
calves.”
Mr Nkomo said the difference didn’t mean much as he had
slaughtered some cattle while others were sold.
Mr Nkomo said after conducting another stocktake, this time
with the assistance of his tenant, they got 64 cattle made up of three bulls,
22 cows, 22 weaners, two heifers, and 15 calves. He made a report to the
police.
Cases of stock theft are rampant across Zimbabwe with
rustlers hitting farmers hardest in border areas where they work with
cross-border syndicates to steal livestock.
On average, between 5 000 and 10 000 cases of livestock theft are
reported each year in the country according to the Zimbabwe Republic Police
Anti-Stock Theft Unit.
The unit has over the years intensified its campaigns,
deployments, and community-based initiatives to fight animal theft, which is
causing huge losses to farmers, and high levels of anxiety in communities that
have built their flock over the years.
Last month, a cattle farmer, Mr Kindness Ndlovu of Ward 16
in Umguza district lost over 50 beasts to cattle rustlers. Herald
0 comments:
Post a Comment