TWO livestock rustlers, one from Mozambique and the other one from Mukumbura in Zimbabwe, teamed up to steal six animals in Mt Darwin’s Mukumbura area from November 25 to 29 last year, driving them to Karuhise Village in Mozambique.
The duo appeared at the Mt Darwin Magistrate court last week facing four counts of stock theft before magistrate Naison Dhambuza, who remanded them to tomorrow for sentencing.
The National Prosecution Authority represented by Pamela Chando alleged that Blessmore Pachanza, 27, of Madiomento Village Four in Mozambique and Edson Kamusha Kasangarare, 25, from Chingawu Village under Chief Chiswiti committed the crimes in Mukumbura and fled to Mozambique where they were later apprehended.
She said on November 29 last year in the afternoon at Nyajichi Village under Chief Chiswiti in Mukumbura, the first complainant Cosmas Bikausi released his herd of cattle for grazing at Murongwe grazing lands.
Pachanza and Kasangarare took advantage of the fact that the cattle were left unattended and stole two cattle (a black and white ox and a grey cow) and drove them to Mozambique.
Bikausi later discovered the offence and teamed up with Simbarashe Karewa and followed a trail which led them to Karuhise Village in Mozambique where they apprehended the two in possession of the stolen cattle. Bikausi positively identified and recovered his two beasts valued at US$900.
On the second count it was alleged that the other complainant Simbarashe Karewa of Chimbuwe Village in Mukumbura released his cattle for grazing at Murongwe grazing lands on November 29 2023 in the morning.
Pachanza and Kasangarare allegedly again took advantage that the cattle were left unattended and stole one brown ox and drove it to Mozambique. Karewa discovered that his ox was missing and teamed up with Cosmas Bikausi in search of the stolen cattle. They found Pachanza and Kasangarare in possession of the cattle in Mozambique.
The value of the stolen animals was US$300. They were recovered. On the third count, Chando said, Wallace Chirekeni of Nyajichi Village under Chief Chiswiti also released his cattle for grazing at Murongwe grazing lands in the morning.
Pachanza and Kasangarare allegedly took advantage of the cattle being unattended and stole one brown and white beast. Chirekeni discovered that his animal was missing on November 30 and again later recovered it in Mozambique under the “ownership” of Pachanza and Kasangarare. The animal was valued at US$390. —New Ziana
