The Sunday News
Sukulwenkosi Dube
THE trial of a Bulawayo-based police officer who stole a bull from Matobo Research Farm failed to start during the week after he was dumped by his lawyer, forcing the court to set another trial date.
Washington Machenu (41) told Plumtree magistrate Mr Livard Philemon that his lawyer told him at the last minute that he had other commitments and could not represent him in his case.
He said it was impossible for him to secure the services of another lawyer in time for the trial.
Mr Philemon postponed the trial to 24 October and warned Machenu to have a lawyer by that date.
“It is a great expense for the State if we have to keep on postponing a trial. There are witnesses and we cannot have them coming to court for nothing as the State is responsible for transporting them. If you do not have a lawyer on the date that I have set then the trial will proceed still,” he said.
Machenu said he had acquired the services of another lawyer who could not make it to trial.
The accused who is stationed at Mzilikazi Police Station and holds the rank of an Assistant Inspector allegedly connived with several accomplices and stole a breeding bull worth $4 000 from the farm.
They allegedly slaughtered the bull and loaded it into Machenu’s vehicle and drove off.
He was apprehended after a 3km high-speed car chase.
He was handed over to police by farmers after the rear tyre of his vehicle burst, forcing him to stop.
His alleged accomplices fled from the scene and are still at large.
Prosecuting, Mr Stanley Chinyanganya said Machenu is alleged to have stolen the bull on 31 July.
“Machenu and his accomplices were intercepted by farmers who were on patrol at the farm. They demanded to search the vehicle but Machenu sped off and drove out of the farm resulting in a car chase with the farmers,” he said.
He said the farmers who caught up with the police officer found him in the process of offloading the meat in a bid to escape with it on foot. His accomplices had deserted him.
They recovered beef weighing up to 194 kilogrammes.
Machenu denied having stolen the meat and claimed that he had been sent to collect the bull by its owner.
He claimed that his suspected accomplices had been tasked to accompany him by the owner of the bull to slaughter and transport the meat.
He said he did not know that the bull did not belong to the person who alleged to be its owner.
