Bulawayo woman breaks legs of neighbour’s six goats in protest over damaged field
À 49-year-old Bulawayo woman has been sentenced to 235 hours of community service for breaking the legs of her neighbour’s six goats with a stone after finding them in her field.
Pretty Ndimande of Mazwi Village appeared before Western Commonage magistrate, Mr Jeconia Prince Ncube, facing a charge of malicious damage to property.
She pleaded guilty to the charge and was initially sentenced to 12 months in prison, of which five months were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.
The remaining seven months were further suspended on condition that she completes 235 hours of community service at Sizalendaba Secondary School, starting on Friday.
Prosecutor Mr Tafara Dzimbanhete told the court that the accused person and complainant are not related but they reside in the same neighbourhood.
He said on March 15, 2026, at around 6PM the accused person found Jabulani Phiri (59)’s goats on her field.
The court heard that the accused person took turns to catch each goat and took a big stone, which she used to hit the back legs of all the six goats.
She broke all the six goats’ legs, said Mr Dzimbanhete. The total value of the damage is US$340. The matter was reported to the police leading to the arrest of the accused. Chronicle
