Bethal Stock Unit arrest suspected stock thief
The cattle were handed back to the owner as he had already reported and registered a stock theft case with Leandra Police on Friday, August 12.
A 29-year-old man was arrested in Bethal for stealing cattle today, August 15.
This came as the effort doubled by members of Bethal Stock Theft Unit to clamp down on stock thieves that are troubling farmers in the area.
Members conducted a disruptive operation between Bethal and Kriel (R545) when they stopped a white Toyota Hilux bakkie pulling a trailer loaded with cattle (six cows).
The suspicious man alleged that he is the owner of the livestock, but his statement could not add up when asked to give a description of the brand marks.
Police’s preliminary investigation on the system picked the rightful owner of the cattle who managed to positively described the brand marks and further identified the stock as his.
The cattle were handed back to the owner as he had already reported and registered a stock theft case with Leandra Police on Friday, August 12.
The suspect, Sinethemba Ntsibande was arrested and charged for being in possession of suspected stolen property (live stock), and appeared in the Leandra Magistrate’s Court today on stock theft charges.
He was released on R1 500 bail and the case was postponed to October 5, pending further investigation.
The Provincial Commissioner of the police in Mpumalanga, Lieut-Gen Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has been overwhelmed by the efforts made thus far in tackling stock theft.
“We hope that the arrest will somehow encourage the public to keep on trusting police with information which will assist in their endeavour to win the battle against stock theft” said the general.
