Mangochi First Grade Magistrate Court on Monday sentenced a 57-year-old man to 6 years in prison with hard labour for stealing cattle.
The man has been identified Matola Nyaude.
The court heard through State Prosecutor Sub lnspector Skeva Munyapa that on the night of April 21, 2021 Nyaude and two accomplices broke into Brahim Abdul’s kraal in the area of traditional authority Namabvi and went away with all his 13 animals which were in the kraal.
The same night, the victim mobilized villagers and mounted an ambush in Namizimu Forest Reserve which is a possible uncharted route to Mozambique for cattle rustlers.
In the process, the team saw Nyaude and accomplices equipped with knives, bows and arrows passing with the herd of cattle.
Munyapa added that the three dumped the animals and vanished into the forest after noticing that they were followed and the victim identified all the 13 stolen animals.
After being on the run for few months, Nyaude was arrested in June by Katuli Police following a tip from members of the community.
Appearing in court, Nyaude pleaded not guilty prompting the state to parade four witnesses who proved the case beyond all reasonable doubt.
In mitigation, Nyaude asked for court’s leniency saying that he takes care of his family but Prosecutor Munyapa asked court for a custodial sentence while justifying that sweeping all cattle in the kraal is more like killing the person and such behavior cannot be tolerated in the society.
First Grade Magistrate Mtunduwatha Mpasu concurred with the state hence the sentence to deter other would be offenders.
Nyaude who is also answering another charge of theft of cattle hails from Namputu village, Traditional Authority Katuli in Mangochi.
