Three notorious cattle rustlers, who were operating around the Beit Bridge district and were arrested during a recent anti-stock theft operation, have now been jailed for periods ranging from 20 to 40 years.

Cosmas Ncube (34) of Farm Number 81, Shape village, was convicted by a local magistrate, Miss Sheila Nazombe, when he pleaded guilty to a charge of stock theft . He was sentenced to an effective 40 years. Miss Nazombe convicted Ncube of stealing 17 cattle from his neighbour.

Ncube was arrested on March 15 while moving the cattle from the Shape area to Montana Abattoir in Bulawayo.

Mekia Sibanda of Guyu village outside Beit Bridge was convicted by the same magistrate of stealing 13 cattle in the neighbouring Makhado village.

In November last year, Sibanda teamed up with his two brothers, Moses and David, went to Makhado village and stole 13 cattle belonging to Rodgers Dube and drove them to Filabusi.

The trio sold three cattle there while ten others were hidden, but they were recovered by the police during an anti-stock-theft operation on 10 January this year. Sibanda was arrested on March 15 while driving another herd of 17 cattle that had been stolen from the Marula area in Plumtree and Lancaster Farm in Fort Rixon. The police recovered the stolen cattle.

Sibanda’s accomplices have since been convicted of the crimes and are awaiting sentencing. Obvious Nare of Shanyaugwe village was also jailed for 20 years by a local magistrate, Mr Carrington Karidzagundi, for stealing four cattle in Zezani village outside Beit Bridge.

It was testified that on 1 March this year, Nare, who was in the company of three other suspects who are still at large, was spotted by villagers in Zezani while driving the stolen cattle from the area to Shanyaugwe.

The villagers raised alarm with the police, leading to Nare’s subsequent arrest and recovery of the cattle.