Three Beit Bridge men appeared in court for allegedly stealing 37 goats, worth R 20 000, before smuggling some of the animals into South Africa. The animals belong to a local farmer .

The trio is reportedly linked to a notorious syndicate that is involved in stealing and smuggling goats into villages around Musina through undesignated entry points along the Limpopo River.

Mudzimundirege Mbedzi (52), who is believed to be the mastermind and residing at Mapai village outside Beit Bridge, John Shoko (30) and Livingstone Mbedzi (23), both of Goda village in the border town, pleaded not guilty to stocktheft charges when they appeared before Magistrate Gloria Takundwa.

The case was postponed to 6 August and the trio remains in custody. In denying them bail, the court noted that there was no guarantee that the three accused would not abscond. It was further argued that, since the three were operating as a syndicate, involving several other suspects operating from South Africa, there was a likelihood that they would interfere with the ongoing police investigations if granted bail.

The prosecutor, Ms Memory Mandityira, said that on 16 July at around 18:00, Mudzimundirege hatched a plan to steal goats from the complainant. He then went to the complainant’s homestead at Goda village, where he teamed up with the other two accused. The court heard that Mbedzi approached Livingstone and Shoko and offered to give them R1 000 each, so that they could assist him in driving the stolen goats to his homestead, and that the two men complied.

When the owner of the goats woke up the following morning, his animals were missing. He then tracked the spoor of the animals, which led him to Mbedzi’s homestead, where he found four of the stolen goats. The court heard that the accused had smuggled the other 33 goats to South Africa. A report was made to the police and the three men were arrested.