By Artwel Chingwara Sithole| The highly intoxicating illicit beer popularly known as Mukozodo, has been linked to outlandish behaviour by mostly young people in Chipinge.

This conclusion was reached after a network of highly intoxicated youths were linked to crimes such as cattle and goat rustling,assault, burglary and attempted rape.

Among the key suspects by the community were the Chikwendekwende brothers from Gumira village who have since been nabbed by the villagers following a tip off.

The trio brothers were caught in the act when they were skinning a stolen beast.

The three brothers have since revealed a string of other network members who are still on the run.

Since the start of the lockdown on 30 March 2020, there has been worrying cases of crime such as livestock theft ,harvesting of villagers’ maize and sorghum in the cover of the night.

Communities with the highest reported cases are Sakuinje,Matikwa Gumira,Muumbe and Konjana among others.

The nabbed Chikwendekwende brothers have linked this reporter to a web of young boys and men who are drug addicts including the mukozodo brew.There is also a myth suggesting that those who are taking muzokodo will be immune from covid-19.

The illicit mukozodo is highly intoxicating due to the ethanol component in the mixture.

Apparently, the ethanol used is also a result of loot from Greenfuel in Chisumbanje.

Our PYCD community networks who are assisting us to monitor compliance of the lockdown have confirmed that many homesteads are still gathering people who are drinking irregardless of the risk associated with gatherings during this period of Covid -19.

During these drinking sprees and binges, the young people would dance to loud music while braaing stolen meat which they also sell to the unsuspecting public and revellers.

Concern is being raised for the law enforcing agents and the public to increase surveillance for such risky activities that are exposing the communities to Covid 19