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A 43-year-old herdsman from Summerton, Zimuto area of Masvingo province was recently ordered to perform 175 hours of community service at a local school after being convicted of stealing a neighbour’s broody turkey and its clutch of 16 eggs.

Energy Mutemeri was also ordered to pay $2 700 being the value of four eggs which were missing from the clutch when it was recovered.

Masvingo magistrate, Ritaiswe Silaigwana, sentenced Mutemeri to eight months in prison after he pleaded guilty to theft.

Silaigwana conditionally suspended two months of the jail term for five years and another month on condition that Mutemeri pays, by next Friday, $2 700 being the value of four eggs that were missing when the Turkey and its clutch were recovered.

The remaining three months were set aside on condition that Mutemeri completes 175 hours of community service at a local secondary school.

Prosecutor Takuva told the court that on July 15 this year, Mutemeri went to Emmanuel Haruzivishe’s homestead and stole a turkey which was sitting on 16 in the fields.

Mutemeri then approached a number of villagers offering the turkey and its eggs for sale.

He approached Raviro and Tendai Pamirai and offered them the turkey and its eggs, and when they inquired why he was selling the bird, Mutemeri indicated that he wanted to raise money for his wife to travel to a funeral.

Tendai Pamirai got suspicious and advised Mutemeri to leave the turkey and eggs and collect his money the following day, and he agreed.

Pamirai then called the police and told them what had happened, and the police made their investigations leading to Mutemeri’s arrest as well as the recovery of the turkey and 12 eggs.

The Turkey and 12 eggs were valued at $20 250 while the missing four eggs were valued at $2 700.

Mutemeri told the court that he wanted money for his wife to be able to attend a funeral, adding that as a cattle herdsman he earned US$$30 a month.  –New Ziana