Rampant cattle rustling worries South Police Chief
Zanis-SOUTHERN Province Acting Police Commanding Officer ALFRED NAWA has appealed for consented efforts with various stakeholders to curb cattle rustling in the Province.
Mr. NAWA says there is need for farmers and the general community at large to form Citizen Crime Prevention Units -CCPU- in a bid to address crime relating to cattle theft.
He made the appeal to NAIS in Choma following recommendations aimed at arresting the vice made by the Southern Province Albinism Multi-purpose Cooperative Vice Chairman MUTINTA MAGANDE.
Mr. NAWA further encouraged farmers to take extra care of their cattle to avoid theft by cattle rustlers.
He however warned cattle rustlers that police in the province will firmly deal with them as his office has declared war against them.
And Southern Province Albinism Multi-purpose Cooperative Vice Chairman MUTINTA MAGANDE said that dairy farmers have been experiencing stock theft in Choma.
Mr. MAGANDE described cattle theft as economic sabotage for livestock farmers adding that farmers are very much ready to collaborate with the police to curtail cattle theft.
Meanwhile Choma District Farmers Association Committee Member PIERS COUNSEL implored government to consider increasing the sentence for cattle rustlers if the situation is to be contained.
Mr. COUNSEL said cattle rustling is more rampant among small scale farmers who cannot afford to hire the services of security companies.