By A Correspondent- Two Rusape farm workers who last Saturday tried to sell a stolen beast to the MP for Makoni Central – Mr David Tekeshe – were arrested after the alert legislator teamed up with the police to trap them.

The two – Brighton Chisiwa (26) and Itai Matimba (27) – who were general workers at Sakutukwa Farm in Headlands – pleaded guilty and when they appeared before Rusape magistrate Mr Gift Manyika, who sentenced each to nine years in jail.

Prosecutor Miss Theresa Mangwende told the court that the stolen beast had strayed into Sakutukwa Farm and police had advised the farm owner to keep it while they look for its owner.

Instead, Chisiwa and Matimba, working in connivance, phoned Mr Tekeshe informing him that they were selling a beast.

Mr Tekeshe quickly suspected that the beast could have been stolen and immediately informed the police.

The MP and police jointly set up a trap to ambush the rustlers.

Mr Tekeshe, who is a successful cattle rancher in Headlands, pretended to be keen to buy the beast and arranged to meet the suspects at night. He met them around 9pm while armed police were keeping a close eye as the accused persons slaughtered the beast and loaded the carcass into his car.

Tekeshe then drove his car from the scene and stopped where the cops were hiding, leading to the arrest of the suspects.

“During the beginning of October 2019, a black cow strayed into accused persons’ herd. They kept the cow and reported it as lost property to the police and were advised to keep it until its owner had been located.

“On October 19, 2019 the accused persons connived to steal the beast. They phoned Mr David Tekeshe with the intention to sell the beast for $2 000. They took the beast to Moreson Farm and slaughtered it around 9pm and loaded the carcass into Mr Tekeshe’s vehicle.

“Mr Tekeshe phoned the police and both accused persons were arrested. Value of the beast is $4 000 and the whole carcass was recovered,” said Miss Mangwende.

-ManicaPost