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Fidelis Munyoro Chief Court Reporter

POLICEMAN-turned cattle rustler Tapiwa Mandima last week had his application for bail pending appeal against both conviction and 18-year sentence imposed on him for stock theft thrown out by the High Court.

Mandima was convicted along with his workmate Promise Chifodya also a police officer on two counts of stock theft and extortion charges. They were both stationed at Fort Rixon Police Station.

They were sentenced to 18 years each on stock theft charges. Additionally, the court imposed two years each for extortion charges, leaving them with full sentence 20 years in prison.

Mandima’s bid for bail pending appeal failed after Justice Joseph Musakwa ruled that he enjoyed no prospects of success on appeal on the two counts of stock theft.

The judge also refused to grant Mandima’s application citing the fact that his appeal was ready for hearing and it was not clear why he was not seeking that it be set down for hearing.

“Where an appeal enjoys no prospects of success, it follows that the likelihood of abscondment is high,” said Justice Musakwa dismissing the application.