The ManicaPost
Post Correspondent
A Chipinge woman who allegedly stole and sold cattle belonging to her boyfriend has been arrested and charged with two counts of stock theft.
Sheila Nzombe (37) of Plot 6 Lot 1 Chipinge – who is represented by Mr Leonard Chigadza of Chigadza and Associates – is being charged for contravening Section 114(2)(a) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act Chapter 9.23.
Nzombe pleaded not guilty and told the court that she did not steal from John Manera (57) of 49 Carrington Road Mutare.
She said the complainant was her husband and that the cattle were part of matrimonial property.
Public prosecutor, Ms Event Dhliwayo, told the court that Nzombe once co-habited with Manera at his farm.
She was left at the farm in the custody of 15 cattle and she stole two beasts which she sold to butcheries in Chipinge.
“In June 2014 Manera left the farm and went to his home in Mutare. He left Nzombe at the farm and in custody of 15 cattle. On July 8, the suspect unlawfully sold a brown bull with a white face to John Muyambo of Chiororo Butchery in Chipinge without the knowledge of the complainant.
“On September 10 the accused person unlawfully sold a bull to Aleck Sithole of C to C Butchery in Chipinge,” she said.
On October 21 the same year the complainant went to his farm to check his cattle and discovered that his two bulls were missing. The value of stolen cattle is $1 200 and nothing was recovered.
In her defence Nzombe said Manera is out to fix her.
She said in 2012 she caused his arrest on allegations of raping her daughter but he was however acquitted of the charges.
“I am denying ever stealing the said cattle. I am married to Manera, he is my husband and I am his wife. The beasts in question are matrimonial property. These two beasts are not the only beasts I sold. I therefore could not have stolen my own matrimonial property,” she said.
The trial continues.
