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Marvelous Moyo Gwanda Correspondent
A 62-YEAR-OLD Filabusi woman and her son have appeared in court for allegedly stealing six cattle belonging to a Beitbridge teacher. Shelton Ndlovu, 20, and his mother Odret Nkomo, who both reside at Siyaphambili village under Chief Ndube, pleaded not guilty to stock theft when they appeared before Gwanda magistrate Olivia Mashava Mashaire on Friday.

They allegedly committed the crime with one Xolisani Moyo, who is still at large.

Mashava Mashaire remanded Ndlovu and Nkomo in custody to tomorrow for continuation of trial.

The prosecutor, Teererai Mahohoma, said on August 2 this year, Sifiso Ndluni of Silikwe village in Gwanda District who is a teacher at Mpande Primary School in Beitbridge, drove her six cattle to Silikwe grazing lands.

On that same day, the six cattle disappeared and a police report was made at Nkwidze base.

“Later information was received to the effect that the six cattle were stolen by the third accused person, Xolisani Moyo, who is still at large and that they were being kept by Shelton Ndlovu at Odret Ndlovu’s homestead at Siyaphambili village in Filabusi.

“A follow up was done and four of them were recovered from Shelton Ndlovu in Filabusi,” Mahohoma said.

Ndlovu and Nkomo had allegedly sold the other two missing beasts to a Mariah Moyo.

“In order for the missing two cattle to be cleared for sale, Odret Ndlovu produced two stock cards, one belonging to her late husband Member Ndlovu and the other one owned by her son, Jalick Nkala who is based in South Africa.

“Mariah exchanged one of the two cattle with one Alvine Sibanda of Filabusi B but it was later recovered. As for the other beast, she had already slaughtered it for sale at her butchery in Filabusi,” Mahohoma said.

The total value of the stolen cattle was $3,400 and cattle worth $3,000 were recovered.