A Hwange man, Shylock Zulu (28), from Mashala Village, is facing the consequences of a rather unusual crime. He was recently jailed for six months after pleading guilty to stealing and slaughtering his neighbour’s goat, then brazenly selling the meat back to the owner.
The court heard that on 8 January this year, Zulu stole a goat belonging to Thabani Sibanda, a fellow villager. Zulu then proceeded to slaughter the animal. Incredibly, he subsequently took the meat to Sibanda’s homestead and sold it to him for US$15, claiming it was bushbuck.
“The complainant became suspicious that the meat could be from his goat which went missing,” the court noted during the proceedings. This suspicion led to an investigation, ultimately resulting in Zulu’s arrest.
The case went to trial, where prosecutors successfully proved Zulu’s guilt on a charge of stock theft. While Zulu initially faced a potential custodial sentence, the magistrate showed leniency. Half of the six-month sentence was suspended for five years on condition that Zulu commits no similar offences during that period. The remaining three months were further suspended, contingent upon Zulu paying restitution to Sibanda amounting to ZW$1057. This restitution likely covers the value of the goat beyond the price of the meat sold.
The case highlights the unusual circumstances of the crime, the audacity of the accused in selling the stolen meat back to the owner, and the eventual legal resolution. While Zulu avoided a full six-month prison term due to the suspended sentence and restitution, the conviction serves as a warning against similar acts of stock theft within the community.
