A MAN fooled owners of a kombi that he wanted to hire their vehicle for a three-day road trip to Mutare when his real intentions were to steal goats in rural areas in Mashonaland Central. Robert Jaisi of Epworth hired the kombi from Pauline Sandra Mahanikwa and her husband Tichawona Marakia Mukutuma. He is believed to be part of a cartel which is specialising in goat rustling.
However, the couple was already becoming suspicious about his activities after monitoring the movement of their kombi through a tracking system installed on it. Mukutuma realised that the kombi was only moving during the night and travelled along routes near the Zimbabwe – Mozambique border at Mukumbura, Madziva, through Bindura and eventually back to Harare via Old Mazowe Road. It has since emerged that Jaisi was allegedly dealing in stolen goats after the kombi was intercepted by police along Lorraine Drive in Westgate in Harare.
Jaisi, and three of his gang members, fled the scene and police found out there were 43 stolen goats inside the kombi. Fifteen of the 43 goats had already suffocated due to being crammed inside the vehicle. Harare provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Luckmore Chakanza, confirmed the case.
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“Police are investigating a stock theft case where a hired vehicle was found with live and dead goats inside,” he said. He added that preliminary investigations indicate the goats may have been stolen from areas visited by the suspects during the time they had hired the kombi. “The total value of the stolen goats is US$1 945,” said Insp Chakanza. In another incident, Timothy Muvengwa (50) of Hebert Chitepo Secondary School, reported the theft of nine goats belonging to the institution in Marimba.The goats were slaughtered a few metres from the school yard.
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