‘Jumbo poisoning still under probe’

Fungai Lupande Court Reporter
Investigations into cyanide poisoning which saw the country losing about 400 elephants in the past two years are still ongoing and no one has been arrested yet, the court heard yesterday. Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authoritys regional manager Mr Tawanda Gotosa said this while testifying in the trial of The Sunday Mail editor Mabasa Sasa, investigations editor Brian Chitemba and reporter Tinashe Farawo.

The trio is accused of communicating or publishing false statements after alleging that a top cop was fingered in poaching. While answering questions from defence counsel Advocate Fadzayi Mahere in cross-examination, Mr Gotosa said investigations were ongoing. “Are investigations ongoing because you are failing to apprehend the culprits?” asked Adv Mahere and Mr Gotosa said “yes”.

Mr Gotosa was asked whether the investigating officer in the matter, Deputy Officer Commanding Crime, Minerals and Border Control Unit Chief Superintendent Oscar Mugomeri contacted him the day the article was published on November 1, last year.

“The police contacted me after the article was published, certainly not on November 1,” he replied. “Mugomeri said he contacted you on November 1, one of you is lying,” said Adv Mahere concluding her cross-examination. Harare magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe adjourned trial to June 21.

Cyanide is a highly poisonous chemical, used in processing gold.

Sasa, Chitemba and Farawo were arrested following the publication of an article on November 1, 2015 which implicated some police officers, rangers from the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority of Zimbabwe and Asian nationals in poaching activities in Hwange.

It is alleged that the trio knew that no assistant commissioner of the police was being investigated for involvement in the poaching of the elephants, nor had the Zimbabwe Republic Police made any arrest in connection with the crime. The trio is accused of publishing falsehoods that were likely to adversely affect the tourism industry and the economy.