The syndicate was busted in June by Guruve police after they tracked down a suspicious Harare taxi that had been visiting the area frequently. Officers manning a roadblock at Mpinge Store along Mvurwi-Guruve Road signalled the suspicious taxi to stop, but Tinei Chiriseri (25), Simon Takura Musakwa (32), Dickson Sapangwa (31) and Francis
Mupanda (28), who were aboard the vehicle, defied the instruction and drove past at high speed.
Police gave chase for about 85km and fired shots at the taxi deflating the front tyre, but the rustlers could not be deterred.They drove a further two km with police in hot pursuit, only stopping when police fired another shot, hitting the driver’s door and causing him to lose control, landing the vehicle in a ditch. The men were found in possession of 373kg of beef and 5kg liver.
They admitted stealing eight cattle from Chibondo, Dzukamanja and Chikonyora grazing areas, and suffocating them using plastic.
Magistrate Augustine Borerwe said: “The community itself has not only been shocked, but disgusted at the manner in which the offences were committed.” The rustlers will serve effective 46-year-jail terms each after eight years were suspended on condition of good behaviour.
Post published in: News