Beitbridge man slapped with 12-month sentence for stealing prisons department’s boer goat
In a case that highlights the consequences of livestock theft, a 39-year-old man from Beitbridge has been handed a substantial prison sentence for stealing a Boer goat belonging to the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS).
The accused, Wellington Mukonde, was arraigned before the Beitbridge Magistrates’ Court on charges of stock theft. According to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe, on the 26th of May 2024 an inmate was assigned the task of herding 135 goats at Dulibadzimu grazing area. At around 1600 hours as the inmate was penning the goats he discovered that one of the goats was missing.
The matter was promptly reported to ZPCS officials, and the following day, the inmate came across Mukonde, who was selling goat meat. When questioned about the origin of the meat, the accused was unable to provide a satisfactory explanation.
Authorities launched an investigation, which led them to recover a goat skin that matched the missing animal. This crucial piece of evidence sealed Mukonde’s fate, as he was subsequently arrested and charged with the theft.
In a stern ruling, the Beitbridge Magistrates’ Court sentenced the 39-year-old man to 9 months in prison. Additionally, the court brought into effect a further 3 months from a previously suspended sentence, resulting in Mukonde facing a total of 12 months of imprisonment for his crime.
The swift apprehension of the accused, the thorough investigation, and the substantial prison sentence handed down by the court send a clear message that such unlawful actions will not be tolerated.
