Zvishavane Man Jailed Nine Years for Stealing Villager’s Heifer

 

A 30-year-old man from Svusvu Village under Chief Masunda has been sentenced to nine years in prison by the Zvishavane Magistrates’ Court after being convicted of stock theft.

The court heard that in June 2025, Given Banda stole a light brown, hornless heifer valued at US$500 from a local villager and later sold it to a nearby buyer.

The theft came to light after the owner received a tip-off about the sale of his missing livestock and reported the matter to the police, leading to Banda’s arrest.

Following his conviction, Banda was handed a nine-year custodial sentence as the court emphasized the gravity of stock theft and its devastating impact on rural livelihoods.