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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge
The chairman of the Cross-Border Anti-Stock Theft Committee in Beitbridge, Frank Mutete Ngulube, 85, was yesterday imprisoned for six months for smuggling four heifers from South Africa through an illegal entry point along the Limpopo River.
The committee is charged with fighting stock theft between Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique. The cattle were valued at R16,000.

Ngulube was convicted on his own plea of guilty to a charge of smuggling when he appeared before magistrate Gloria Takundwa.

Prosecuting Jabulani Mberesi told the court that on May 14 this year Ngulube went to TOE Farm, Vivo, Petersburg in South Africa where he bought four heifers from a person identified only as Gxero.

He allegedly hired a truck from the neighbouring country and ferried the cattle to Gumbo area, near the Limpopo River.

The court further heard that Ngulube drove the cattle to Zimbabwe through an illegal crossing point along the Limpopo River which is near the Tshituripasi area.

Mberesi said the offence came to light sometime in July when the 85-year-old approached the Department of Veterinary Services for the cattle to be documented.

He said Ngulube was carrying his stock card and an affidavit outlining how he had bought the cattle in South Africa and then brought them into Zimbabwe illegally.

A report was then made to the police leading to his arrest on 4 August.