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Michael Magoronga Midlands Correspondent
A Silobela man who stole his brother- in-law’s beast and was caught while trying to sell it, has been slapped with an effective nine-year jail sentence.

Kwekwe magistrate Mr Storey Rushambwa convicted Munyaradzi Chiweshe (30) of Chitiki Village, Chief Gobo in Silobela, on stocktheft charges.

Chiweshe was nabbed as he tried to sell the beast in Zhombe’s Chapewa Village after police received a tip-off from the prospective buyer.

In mitigation, Chiweshe told the court that he mistook the beast for his. He said he wanted to pay hospital bills for his wife who was not well.

“Your Worship, I took the wrong beast because it was dark. I wanted to take my own beast so that I could sell it and get money to get my wife hospitalised as she was not feeling well at the time,” said Chiweshe.

The State, led by Mr Freddy Ndoro, heard that on October 23 at around 11pm, Chiweshe proceeded to the grazing land in Mukhuhlane area under Chief Sigodo.

Upon arrival, he tied the ox using a rope before embarking on a journey to Zhombe overnight.

Chiweshe planned to sell the beast to Trust Sibanda at Chapewa Shopping Centre without clearance.

Sibanda became suspicious before alerting the police who arrested Chiweshe.