12 Years for Stock Theft, Magistrate Commends Prosecution, Investigator

Gweru - Patrick Mutigwa (37) of Mkoba 13, Gweru, has been sentenced to an effective 12 years’ imprisonment for stock theft after the Gweru Magistrates’ Court found him guilty of orchestrating the theft and slaughter of cattle in a crime the court said struck at the core of rural livelihoods and food security.

Handing down judgment, Gweru Magistrate Blessing Makaripe praised the thoroughness of the police investigations and the strength of the State’s case, even giving investigating officer, Detective Kizito Mahachi, an affectionate pat on the back in open court for his investigative prowess.

The magistrate also commended veteran prosecutor, Frederick Macheza, for proving beyond reasonable doubt that the offence had been committed, describing the prosecution’s case as clear, consistent and compelling.

The court heard that on 8 April 2025, Mutigwa, acting in concert with five accomplices who remain at large, planned and executed the theft of cattle from Plots 21 and 30 in Senale, Gweru.

The group stole one brown cow belonging to Trynos Ngwenya and two black oxen belonging to another complainant.

The stolen animals were driven to a bushy area near Anderson High School, where they were slaughtered to conceal the crime and convert the livestock into meat.

Following intensive investigations, Mutigwa was arrested on 10 May 2025 at a butchery in Gweru while offloading meat.

Police recovered a beef carcass weighing 283.36 kilograms, although the live animals themselves were never recovered.

Mutigwa was convicted on two counts of stock theft as defined in Section 114(2)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 09:23].

He was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment on the first count and 14 years on the second count, with part of the sentence suspended on condition of restitution.

The remaining portions were ordered to run concurrently, resulting in an effective 12-year jail term.

In passing sentence, Magistrate Makaripe emphasised that stock theft remains a serious offence that devastates farmers, destabilises rural economies and threatens national food security.

The court reaffirmed that the justice system would continue to deal decisively with offenders who endanger agricultural production, adding that the sentence should serve as a strong deterrent while assuring farming communities of the law’s protection.