Man sentenced to 54 years in prison for stealing 49 cattle

Michael Mashiri

A Zvishavane man has been sentenced to an effective 54 years in prison for stealing 49 head of cattle.

Tinodakufa Hove, 36, appeared at Gweru Magistrates’ Courts charged with six counts of stock theft.

The State alleges that in July 2021, at Gwanza Village Lalapanzi, the complainant released his herd of cattle for grazing.

On the same day, Hove went to the grazing land and stole Hove’s seven head of cattle and drove them to his farm in Zvishavane.

On the same day, the complainant rounded up his herd and discovered that seven beasts were missing.

The matter was reported to the police leading to his arrest.

Hove was interviewed by the police but he denied the allegations.

The police also found nothing at his farm.

During the course of the investigations, police received information that Hove was exchanging cattle with villagers 89km away and selling the exchanged beasts to butcheries in Zvishavane.

Investigations led to the recovery of four head of cattle, which were positively identified by the complainant.

More revealed that over a period spanning from March 2022 to July 2023, Hove had stole forty-two more cattle from five families around Lalapanzi.

Twelve more cattle were recovered.