Elderly woman accused of stealing, branding and selling 17 cattle worth US$14,000 in Zimbabwe’s Matabeleland region.

A 71-year-old woman has appeared in court charged with stealing a herd of cattle and selling them to an abattoir after allegedly rebranding them with her own markings.

Sithabile Ngwenya pleaded not guilty to stock theft charges at the Bulawayo Magistrates Court. She was remanded in custody until January 21, 2025, by Magistrate Beverly Madzikatira.

Prosecutors allege Ngwenya and her accomplice Muneyi Ndlovu, who remains at large, stole 17 cattle from Edias Musarira, 43, between August and September 2024.

The pair allegedly drove the stolen cattle to Ngwenya’s plot in Ntabazinduna, where she branded them with “MEXH” using a homemade iron before obtaining clearance documents from police and veterinary officials.

Ngwenya then reportedly transported the cattle to a Bulawayo abattoir in Kelvin West for sale. The stolen herd, valued at US$14,000, has not been recovered.

Musarira discovered the theft after receiving a report from his herdboy. Investigations are continuing.