FORMER cabinet minister, Nicholas Goche has been removed from remand after the state witness failed to turn up in court.

Goche’s trial in a matter in which he is accused of stock theft failed to take off after the complainant Honest Mupanedengu failed to pitch up for court proceedings.
Goche was subsequently removed from remand by provincial magistrate Tinashe Ndokera and the state will now proceed by way of summons.

A warrant of arrest was issued for Mupanedengu.

It is the state’s case that in November 2018, Honest Mupanedengu of Mufakose bought 40 beasts from Goche and collected 22 for slaughter.
Sometime in 2019, Goche allegedly disposed of the remaining 18 cattle without the knowledge of the complainant.

It is alleged that the complainant approached the accused on different occasions to collect the 18 beasts but Goche indicated he had sold them for 18 000 United States dollars.

The accused subsequently made a police report.