FRUSTRATED villagers in Nkayi, Matabeleland North, have accused local police officers of failing to take firm action against rampant stock theft, claiming that known suspects are routinely released under mysterious circumstances before facing trial.
Residents say the escalating thefts have left them counting their losses while criminal syndicates operate with impunity, allegedly aided by poor accountability within the police ranks at Gwelutshena Police Station.
In an interview with CITE, villager Thuleleni Nhliziyo said her family lost two cows in September, but despite police arrests, the suspects were never brought to justice.
"We have a challenge in Ngwaladi. On 10 September, we lost two cows from my homestead and our neighbour's cows were also stolen. We tracked down the culprits and called the police, who arrested a suspect called Mguni. He led them to others - Masuku, Brighton, and Themba - but they all vanished before trial," said Nhliziyo.
She added that villagers were later told the suspects had lawyers and new court dates, but none of them appeared in court.
"We were told Mguni was no longer available, then later that the others had been released. When we ask for dockets, the details are missing. It's as if the whole case disappears," she said.
According to Nhliziyo, similar incidents have occurred repeatedly in Chief Sikhobokhobo's area, where stock theft suspects allegedly "exchange places" in the cells before being freed.
"Last year another villager lost cattle, and when they went to court, they found the thief they had caught was no longer in the cells. We know each other in the village - these people are still at home, free," she added.
Villagers now suspect collusion between police and stock theft syndicates, accusing officers of protecting offenders.
"We don't know how the police are working. They say the thieves are released to find lawyers. Is this how the law works? We are being abused while the thieves are treated well," Nhliziyo said, calling on senior authorities to intervene.
Another villager, who requested anonymity, recounted how stolen cattle from their area were recovered in Gomoza, yet the culprits "disappeared under police watch."
"The cows were recovered, the thieves arrested - but when we followed up, police said they had disappeared. How do suspects vanish from custody? What should we do as a community?" she asked.
Country Moyo, a member of the Azibuye Emaseleni Community Group formed to fight livestock theft, said villagers are no longer even given case numbers when they report crimes.
"We are appealing for help so that these police officers can be replaced. We are tired of the current ones," said Moyo.
Local traditional leaders have also expressed alarm over what they describe as a growing breakdown of trust between the community and law enforcement.
Village Head Nkululeko Ncube from Ward 8, KoSando, confirmed that villagers were losing confidence in the police.
"The thieves even confess and the stolen livestock is recovered as evidence. We hand them over to Gwelutshena police, but the next day they're walking free. We don't want to take the law into our own hands, but the police are letting us down," Ncube said.
"These people confess - they don't even deny it. How can we live in peace when the thieves are among us? We are not happy with Gwelutshena police."
Efforts to get a comment from Matabeleland North Provincial Police Spokesperson, Inspector Glory Banda, were unsuccessful, as his phone remained unavailable for the past two days.
- CITE
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