Two Zimbabweans jailed 9 years for killing Botswana cow

Two men from Guyu were sentenced to nine years each for slaughtering a stray cow from Botswana along the Shashe border, sharing the meat, as reported by Southern Eye. The court heard that on May 31, 2026, the pair killed the cow and shared the meat. The harsh sentence reflects strained cross-border relations and the zero-tolerance approach to livestock theft, but critics say it is disproportionate. The case underscores the desperation of border communities facing food insecurity, where a single cow can lead to a decade in prison, highlighting local criminal judgment with low national strategic significance. The harsh sentence has been criticized by human rights groups as disproportionate, given the desperate circumstances of the offenders.