By Patience Gondo
A 2016 convict, Dominic Ndou, has gone back to jail for 10 months following his conviction for stealing goats from a villager in the Matshiloni area of Beitbridge.
He pleaded guilty to stealing and slaughtering four goats.
Ndou appeared before Beitbridge Magistrate Mponisi Kaweni on Tuesday facing stock theft charges, to which he admitted.
Prosecutor Reason Mutimba told the court the offence occurred on October 1 2025 when Ndou, together with an accomplice identified only as Rodney, unlawfully drove four goats belonging to Paradzai Moyo from his kraal into the nearby bush where they slaughtered them.
Rodney is still on the run and police investigations are underway to apprehend him.
Mutimba told the court that Moyo discovered the theft two days later when he went to pen his goats and realised that four were missing.
Upon making inquiries in the village, a neighbour named David informed him that he had seen Ndou and Rodney herding goats into the bush on the same day.
Acting on the tip-off, Moyo conducted a search in the bush and found the remains of the slaughtered animals.
Ndou admitted and told the court that his intention had been to sell the goats. He expressed remorse and said he had approached the complainant day before his arrest to offer compensation.
“I spoke to Moyo the day before I was arrested. I wanted to make things right and pay him back,” Ndou said .
The stolen goats were valued at R7,200.
In his ruling, Magistrate Kaweni acknowledged Ndou’s early guilty plea and cooperation with the court, stating that it had helped save state ‘s time.
However, he highlighted the gravity of the offence, particularly in rural areas where livestock is often the primary source of livelihood.
“Stock theft is a very serious offence in Zimbabwe. In the rural context, goats and cattle are not just property — they are a lifeline. They pay for school fees, cover medical expenses, and sustain families,” said Kaweni.
Ndou was sentenced to 22 months in prison. Of that sentence, eight months were suspended on the condition that he does not commit a similar offence within the next five years.
Further four months were suspended on condition that he compensates the complainant, Paradzai Moyo, the full value of R7,200 by November 10, 2025.
Ndou will serve an effective 10 month prison term.