In a bizarre court case, Ignatius Charamba was cleared of stealing six cattle from a Johane Masowe church farm in Umguza. Charamba claimed the 240kg of meat found at his home was kudu, not beef, and the court agreed.
Provincial Magistrate Richard Ramaboea ruled that police failed to prove their case, citing a crucial mistake: the meat and skins weren’t recorded on Form 390. This blunder weakened the State’s case, and Charamba walked free.
The court heard conflicting testimonies from Inspector Sakson Dube and veterinary officer Cuthbert Mahere, leaving doubts about the meat’s origin. As both kudu and buffalo belong to the bovinae class, the distinction between game and cattle proved crucial in Charamba’s acquittal.
After weeks of trial drama, Charamba left the courtroom a free man, relieved that the case against him didn’t hold up.
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