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Crime Reporter
Police in Chiredzi have arrested four suspected poachers and recovered five impala carcasses worth over US$5 000 as they intensify their crackdown on poachers countrywide.
The suspects Cultas Mazango (26), Amon Mutakati (33), Lucas Chazireni (33) and Staff Chivasa (24) were arrested on Saturday by police on patrol. They are still assisting police with investigations.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest.
“On January 15, 2022, members of the police who were on an anti-poaching patrol in Chiredzi arrested the suspects for poaching five impalas at Senuko Ranch.
“Police recovered five impalas worth US$5 000 at the suspects’ residence. Investigations are still in progress,” he said.
He warned others who were involved in such activities that the police were out in full force.
Last week, three suspected poachers who shot dead three impala and one bush buck were denied bail when they appeared before Marondera Magistrate Ms Patience Chirimo. James Munhupedzi (48), Tineyi Chari (40) and Simbarashe Tumba (22) allegedly went to Eldorado Game Park near Macheke armed with rifles and while there, and in the middle of the night, they shot and killed the four antelopes.
Reports say Mr Andrias Vannard, a supervisor at the park was on a night duty with three security guards when he heard gunshots so he woke up Mr Sean Saywood and the other guards and they teamed up and headed in the direction where the gunshots were heard.
Suddenly, they saw a torch light from a slow moving vehicle in the game park.
Mr Saywood fired warning shots prompting the suspects to speed off in a Toyota Hilux with the security guards and officials from the game park in hot pursuit.
But the driver of the Toyota Hilux lost control of the vehicle which veered off the road and landed in a ditch resulting in the arrest of the three and the recovery of the four carcasses. Detectives from CID Flora and Fauna Unit in Marondera and others from Macheke and officers from Marondera National Park attended to the scene and recovered two rifles, one fitted with a telescope sight, several rounds of ammunition, three spent cartridges, a machete, two knives, one magazine, an axe and a hunting torch.
The Toyota Hilux allegedly belongs to one of the arrested suspects, James Munhupedzi, who is believed to be a Treetop Security official.
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