Man jailed for slaughtering ‘goblin’

Davison Marenga

ZVISHAVANE – A man from Virima village, under chief Negoyi in Mberengwa was slapped with a nine year jail term by magistrate Storey Rushambwa after he was convicted on stock theft charges after he had slaughtered an ox he claimed was a goblin.

Honest Shoko (26) told the court that the complaint, Gladys Shoko, had convinced him the ox was actually a goblin and a courageous man was needed to slaughter it.

Honest then followed the beast to the pastures and killed it, took away both hint quarters and left everything else for Gladys as they had agreed to share the meat.

He said he was surprised to see police details coming to his homestead accusing him of stealing the beast.

The gallery was left in stitches when Honest said Gladys became angry after he took the parts she had wanted for herself.

“Gladys was not happy because I took the hint quarters which I later realised she also wanted but she had told me to take what I wanted. I’m surprised she got me arrested and accused me of stealing yet she is the one who sent me,” said Shoko.

It was the State case that on July 16, 2016 Shoko went to the pastures where he single-handedly slaughtered Gladys’ ox and vanished with both hint quarters.

After noticing that one of her cattle was missing, Gladys looked for it in the pastures where she found its carcass with missing parts.

She made a police report pointing Honest as her main suspect as he had often threatened burning her homestead and killing her cattle accusing her of being a witch.

A search was made at Honest’s house where fresh meat was found leading to his subsequent arrest.  As this was not enough, Honest bluntly told Gladys in the presence of the police that he was not yet done with her as he will burn her and kill the rest of the cattle.

In passing judgment, Rushambwa said he was not going to have mercy on someone who feigned insanity, saying the accused knew what he was doing and had to pay for his deeds. 

Stanley Ncube stood for the State.news