In a bizarre incident reminiscent of popular TV show America’s Dumbest Criminals, a woman walked into the Mthatha Central police station to claim a herd of cows which had been recovered after being stolen in KwaBhaca.
But she soon found herself behind bars on stock theft charges after police found a calf inside her double-cab bakkie.
Bukiwe Siduka-Butho, 53, and two men, Mzwandile Mfukula, 37, and Lindokuhle Mapasi, 26, appeared in the Mthatha magistrate’s court on Monday in connection with the theft of 23 cattle, including a calf, valued at more than R250,000.
Stock theft is a priority crime in the OR Tambo district.
Police spokesperson Welile Matyolo said: “To fight stock theft in the district, police are following any leads that can result in the recovery of stolen stock and in the perpetrators being brought to justice.”
On Monday at about 4.30pm police received information from a community member about a truck loaded with cattle, suspected to have been stolen, heading towards Mthatha.
They swiftly followed up.
“Members attached to the district task team spotted the truck loaded with 22 head of cattle,” Matyolo said.
“They stopped it on the N2 Ngqwala Extension, near Vidgesville outside Mthatha.
“While documents were being verified, the cattle owner, who was following the truck, arrived immediately and positively identified two of her own cattle which she had reported stolen at KwaBhaca.”
Matyolo said the two men in the truck, including the truck driver, had said a woman had hired them to transport the cattle to Bhisho.
“On investigation, the police summoned the alleged [woman] owner to the Mthatha Central police station.
“Police searched her Isuzu bakkie and found a calf lying behind the front passenger’s seat.
“She was arrested with the two men. The three suspects are all charged with possession of suspected stolen stock.”
Both the truck and bakkie have been impounded.
Matyolo said of the 23 cattle, only two had been positively identified and handed over to their rightful owner.
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