Michael Magoronga Midlands Correspondent
A 79-year-old granny from Zhombe in the Midlands Province and her daughter have pleaded guilty to stealing 15 goats from the neighbourhood. Evar Gwakwa, her daughter Prisca Shava (38) and a neighbour Phiri Sathar (48) appeared before magistrate Mr Tayengwa Sangster.
Charges against Sathar were withdrawn by the State before plea after Gwaka and Shava exonerated her from the offence.
Prosecutor Ms Ethel Bhurume told the court that between 2012 and 2018 Gwaka and Shava would steal goats from neighbours and slaughter them.
“About 15 goats were reported missing to date. All cases are linked to the family,” said Ms Bhumure.
Ms Bhumure said Gwaka and Shava were arrested after stealing their neighbour Ruth Mbano’s goat.
“On December 25, 2018 around 1700hours, the complainant in this case, Ruth Mbano who is their neighbour, discovered that there was a missing goat and headed straight for the two accused homestead,” said Ms Bhunure.
Mbano searched the homestead but found nothing linking the pair to the crime. She returned later and found fresh meat in a blair toilet.
Mbano reported the matter to the village head and also alerted neighbours. The matter was reported to the police leading to their arrest. Gwaka and Shava admitted to stealing the goats in court.
“Indeed your worship, we took the goats but my daughter here was the one who would do all the dirty work of slaughtering,” said Gwaka.
Shava blamed it on poverty.
“We do not work your worship. We relied on stealing the goats for survival. I would trap the goats at the borehole and go on to slaughter them without anyone noticing. My mother would only receive meat but she was not aware of the source,” she said. Magistrate Sangster said criminals had no room in society.
“There certainly is no room for criminals in the society. The law does not select whether one is elderly or not.