A well-known cattle farmer from Bulawayo has been accused of purchasing stolen cattle at reduced prices from various syndicates located on the city’s outskirts.
The owner of Douglasdale Feedlot and Nyama4U Blue Bulls
Butchery, Richard Draege, is now facing accusations of collusion with rustlers
after police found 20 reported stolen cattle at his feedlot.
Farmers from Inyathi identified some of their missing
cattle at Draege’s property, and Bulawayo police have expressed concerns about
cattle rustling, stressing its detrimental impact on the nation’s livestock
population.
Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Abednico Ncube, told journalists
that Draege is aware of the legitimate paperwork involved in the trade of
cattle, but continues to purchase stolen beasts.
He said the police
were intensifying efforts to eradicate cattle rustling networks.
“These cattle were discovered by police following a tip off
by farmers, who spotted a truck loaded with cattle driving to this feedlot
owned by Mr Richard Draege.
“What is disturbing
is that we have had engagements with Mr Draege concerning the sale and buying
of stolen cattle yet he continues to do so.
“He is aware of the procedure and knows the
legitimate paperwork involved in the trade of cattle. In this case there are
just pieces of handwritten letters from bogus individuals, who are on the run,
authorising the sale of these cattle.
“He is defiant and
we are looking into engaging him to find out how he received this stolen
stock,” said Insp Ncube.
He said feedlots have been identified as major drivers of
stock theft by the police.
“We have scaled up
our operations and are not tiring anytime soon. Bulawayo is a step ahead in
fighting stock theft. We have been and are holding engagements with farmers and
villagers dotted on the outskirts of the city.
“So far we have closed the gap by cordoning routes used by rustlers to enter the city
without detection.
“Now our biggest enemies are owners of feedlots, whom we
have engaged on several occasions about this, but they still ignore the law.
There are procedures they are meant to
follow before buying cattle, but they continuously ignore these,” said Insp
Ncube.
Draege has not yet commented on the matter as he was said
to be away on holiday in Victoria Falls.
Insp Ncube said sustained awareness campaigns by Bulawayo
police and close cooperation by farmers around the city have led to the recovery of cattle stolen from the outskirts
of the city.
He said the recovered cattle were stolen from Inyathi and
Mbembesi areas.
“This was a result of ongoing crime awareness campaigns by
a Bulawayo Provincial Anti-Stock Theft
team where farmers surrounding Bulawayo are engaged to close routes used by
thieves into the city. The cattle are on a farm in Matopo,” said Insp Ncube.
He said three suspects are still on the run in connection
with the case.
The late Vice
President John Landa Nkomo’s son, Jabulani Nkomo, recently revealed that he
lost a herd of 42 cattle at his Umguza Plot over a period of four months from
August to December last year.
Police have since identified Nkomo’s employee, Tatenda
Chimombe, who is on the run, as the chief suspect in the case.
In January, Bulawayo police arrested two men from Emganwini
Suburb in Bulawayo for rustling a herd of 19 cattle. Chronicle
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