TWO Chinhoyi stock thieves, who had terrorised farmers stealing cattle and goats, have been sentenced to nine years in jail each by the High Court.
Reason Chimanja and Feliz Faron Chango stole a cow and a calf from Fordson Sosa at Plot 24, Emily Park grazing lands, Chinhoyi. The stolen stock was valued at US$450. They also stole two oxen from Shavayemombe Sijanapi of Plot 32, Muni Farm, Chinhoyi, which they sold to Asan Garatiya for US$800.
On August 4, they stole a goat from Virginia Mahwanda of Plot 19, Temperly Farm, Chinhoyi, and the goat was recovered, slaughtered. It was valued at US$25. The pair was initially jailed for 11 years each, with the magistrate suspending three years on condition of good behaviour. However, on review by the High Court, Justices Philda Muzofa and Rogers Manyangadze ruled that the trial court misdirected itself on two issues, saying it was wrong to bundle the offences that attract a minimum mandatory sentence as one.
Secondly, the judges ruled the trial court had erred in treating a goat as a bovine or equine, which attracts a minimum mandatory sentence. Section 114 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act [Chapter 9:23] provides a mandatory minimum sentence of 9 years imprisonment for stock theft unless there are special circumstances.
