Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
BULILIMA Rural District Council has alleged that police officers are facilitating illegal cattle sales, a claim the police have since said will be investigated.

Speaking during a meeting between council officials and Plumtree police, Bulilima Rural District Council Chief Executive Officer, John Brown Ncube, said private buyers were carrying out the illegal activities with the assistance of government departments.

He pin-pointed police officers stationed in Madlambudzi.

“We’ve been trying to contain activities of private cattle buyers but we’ve been failing as the situation has been getting out of hand. We were hoping to work with the police and other government arms to stop private buyers,” said Ncube.

“However, recently we received information that private buyers were conducting their activities at dip tanks and even council sale pens in various wards.”

According to council by-laws, it is illegal to buy or sell livestock for commercial purposes without a permit from council.

All livestock buyers should pay a livestock levy, charged per beast, immediately after sales.

Ncube said the livestock levy was not being remitted.

He said the revenue from cattle sales was crucial in building schools and clinics throughout the district and financing other developmental projects.

The RDC CEO said they recently received a report that police had questionably cleared about 100 cattle within a space of three days that were being sold to private buyers.

Council officials were also said to have held a meeting with the officer-in-charge of Madlambudzi policing area in a bid to stop the illegal activities.

“In another incident recently, a police officer from Khame Police Base was clearing cattle for a private buyer in Bambadzi area and was caught in the act by council workers.

“These private buyers hold these activities in public places such as dip tanks with the knowledge of the police,” Ncube said.

He said police actions were promoting cattle rustling within the district.

Responding to the concerns, the acting officer commanding Bulilima-Mangwe District, Superintendent Edinah Muroyi, said her office would look into reports of the alleged misconduct by police officers.

She said it was illegal for police officers to clear cattle that had been purchased illegally. Supt Muroyi said once investigations had been made, police officers involved would be disciplined.