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Police Reluctant To Follow Up My Case -
Farmer
By Madube Pasi Siyauya
A 69-year-old peasant farmer of Lwango village in Salubweni Sesheke
district, whose 15 cattle were stolen in April, has accused police officers
from Mwandi Police Post of being reluctant to follow up his case.
Alfred Samusambo Simatobolo told LRF in Livingstone that police officers at
Mwandi and Sesheke police stations have not made follow ups on his case.
Simatobolo said on April 15 this year, some irate villagers chased his heads
men and took control of his 259 cattle after a grazing wrangle.
He said prior to this incident, two villagers Mbanga Simbili and Sikokoto
had written a letter to him requesting him to go to the bush where the oasis
was so that they can have a discussion.
The villagers in Lwando village usually take their animals to a grazing site
in summer were there is an oasis due to a water problem.
Simatobolo said the villagers had been complaining in the past that his
animals were too many and they were consuming more water than other
villagers' animals.
However, Simatobolo refused to go for the discussion in the bush instead he
requested that they go to a traditional court to have the wrangle resolved.
On April 15, Likokoto Mbanga Kayombo, Sanga and eight others took the law in
their hands and chased Simatobolo's heads men with axes and took control of
his 259 animals for five days.
When Simatobolo was informed about the development, he reported the matter
to Mwandi Police Post. Tthe officer in-charge and Simatobolo conducted a
head count and discovered that 15 animals were missing. The four named men
were arrested while the others run away
The four requested that the matter be settled out of court and returned four
of Simatobolo's animals. The other eight refused to take back the remaining
11 cattle.
The officer-in-charge at Mwandi ordered that even the four cattle that were
recovered be taken back to the four so that the case would start afresh and
the matter be taken to Sesheke Police Station.
The four villagers were detained at Sesheke Police Station but they were
later released on Police bond.
Simatobolo said that he is worried because on June 12 and July 6 2006 when
they were told to report at the police station, the villagers did not report
and nothing is being done about it.
LRF Livingstone paralegal Ernest Mukelabai is yet to travel to the area to
follow up the matter.
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