Ignatius
Charamba, who was dragged to court after cops pounced on him with 240kg of meat
and cow skins at his home, walked free when Provincial Magistrate Richard
Ramaboea ruled the State failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Charamba,
represented by lawyer Prince Butshe of Butshe and Associates, argued that he
runs a game meat business and that the meat in question was kudu, not beef.
The court heard
that police led by Inspector Sakson Dube acted on a tip-off and raided
Charamba’s home, seizing meat, offal, and cow skins. An ox head recovered from
a customer, Sidumisile Moyo, was allegedly identified as belonging to the
church farm through an earmark.
However,
Ramaboea noted that police failed to record the recovered meat and skins on
Form 390, a mandatory procedure for exhibits, which fatally weakened the
State’s case.
He also
highlighted that Insp Dube and veterinary officer Cuthbert Mahere gave
conflicting testimonies, failing to prove the meat was indeed from cattle and
not game, as both kudu and buffalo fall under the bovinae class.
Charamba was
arrested on 30 June, but after weeks of trial drama, he left the courtroom a
free man, heaving a sigh of relief. B Metro
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