Two men from Guyu, Matabeleland South, were on Tuesday sentenced to nine years in prison each by the Gwanda Magistrates’ Court after they were convicted of stock theft for slaughtering a Botswana-branded cow that had strayed into Zimbabwe.
Agreement Bhebhe, 34, of Kafusi Dam Village, and Kepaletso Nyathi, 34, of Kafusi Dip Village, appeared before a Gwanda magistrate facing stock theft charges.
The court heard that on May 31, 2026, the pair, acting in common purpose, targeted a stray brown cow grazing at Shashe grazing lands along the Zimbabwe-Botswana border.
The animal bore a Botswana brand mark, ADZ5, and ear tag number BW19833411.
They allegedly slaughtered the cow and shared the carcass between themselves.
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Following a tip-off, police launched investigations that led to the recovery of the brown hide from Nyathi, with the Botswana brand mark and ear tag still intact.
A portion of the meat was also recovered from Bhebhe.
To confirm ownership, a member of the Botswana Police Service was invited and identified the brand mark and ear tag number as belonging to a Botswana national.
The stolen beast was valued at US$500.
Nothing further was recovered.
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