Serial stock thief jailed 27 years

Rutendo Mazhindu

ZimNow Reporter

Tellmore Matsunge, 46, of Village 13C Mauya is facing 27 years imprisonment for stock theft.

He was arraigned before the Karoi Magistrate's Court facing three counts of stock theft and another of contravening the FireArms Act in Karoi.

On February 14, 2023,  Matsunge arranged with Howard Tambokuisa who is still at large, to kill and slaughter a Brown Steer at Plot 2 Muchbinding Farm in Karoi.

They packed the meat in a 50kg sack and fled from the scene.

On December 31, 2023, he came back with his accomplices who are still at large and sneaked into the farm.

While in the farm, they shot dead a Brown Tuli bull, slaughtered and skinned it before packing the meat in 50 kg sacks.

They repeated the same offence where they stole another bull on January 26, 2024.

Matsunge was then arrested following police investigations leading to the recovery of a rifle and three rounds of ammunition which he was hiding in his house.

He was sentenced to nine years imprisonment for each count.

On count four, he was ordered to pay a fine of US$100 or 30 days imprisonment.

His firearm license was cancelled and the rifle was forfeited by the State.