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Prosper Dembedza Herald Correspondent
The trial of Suscaden Investments’ managing director, William Terrence Kelly who is accused of violating the Parks and Wildlife Management Act, kicked off yesterday with him pleading not guilty.
He was being represented by Everson Chatambudza when he appeared before Harare magistrate, Appolonia Marutya.
Kelly denied the charges saying the area in question is a no-hunting area, adding that it is also within the area leased to his company.
Kelly submitted that in terms of the Lease Agreement signed by ZimParks and Suscaden in September 2017, hunting is not permitted in the leased area, adding that Suscaden has an obligation to ensure that no hunting takes place within that area.
However, he submitted that there has been illegal hunting within the area leased to Suscaden as far back as October 2022. Kelly said he has been reporting the illegal hunting to the Parks and Wildlife Rangers since then, all to no avail.
“Kelly followed the tracks and found a hunter’s bait on a tree. He drove back and made a report to two Parks Rangers who were at Chewore Lodge. He asked them to investigate the issue but they declined to investigate,” Kelly’s lawyer submitted.
He then sent a WhatsApp message to their supervisor telling him that there was an illegal hunting in the area.
Kelly said he could not ignore the illegal hunting.
He said he went back to the illegal hunting bait and recovered a camera as an exhibit. He then sent the camera to Parks offices.
Kelly said a Parks officer refused to accept the camera and within a short space of time, he was called at Kanyemba Police Station where he was charged.
The matter went to a Guruve court but there was no prosecution over the matter.
He said in 2023, Kelly said he was shocked when police officers from Bindura came and took him to Kanyemba saying they had been given instructions by a senior police officer to do so.
Kelly claims that he was taken by a police officer on a very dangerous high speed boat ride in Zambezi River.
Online Reporter