adminSukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
AN 83-YEAR-OLD Mangwe man will spend the next 20 days in prison for lending his registered firearm to a neighbour who wanted to hunt for animals at an adjacent farm. Paul Mloyiswa Ncube of Maninji area failed to raise a $100 fine that he was ordered to pay by Plumtree magistrate, Gideon Ruvetsa. His neighbour, Cecil Ncube, 53, who appeared separately before the same magistrate, was ordered to pay a $350 fine for possessing a firearm without a licence.
Paul, who was convicted of failing to prevent his firearm from falling into the possession of an unauthorised person, told the court that he could not afford to pay the fine.
Ruvetsa, however, pointed out that he had committed a serious offence which could not go unpunished.
“I’m a peasant farmer and I struggle to make ends meet. I’ve five grandchildren who are under my care. I don’t have the money for the fine, not here or at my homestead. I’ve no savings at home or any valuable assets,” said Paul.
Prosecuting, Jane Phiri told the court that Cecil proceeded to Cheese Farm on May 27 where he shot a male impala valued at $1,000.
She said Paul lent the firearm which had rounds of ammunition to his neighbour on May 26.
“Paul lent a shotgun to Cecil who had stated that he wanted to search for his missing cattle at Cheese Farm. Police received a tip off and investigations were carried out leading to his arrest and recovery of the shotgun,” said Phiri.
She said while at the farm, Cecil spotted three impalas and shot one using the borrowed firearm. Phiri said Cecil then skinned the impala while he was at the farm and hired transport to carry the meat to his cousin’s homestead.
She said community members learnt that Cecil had slaughtered a wild animal and tipped-off the police.
Phiri said police investigated the matter and recovered the shotgun and some of the meat of the slaughtered animal. Cecil told the court that he intended to sell the meat in a bid to raise money to sustain his family.
“I had borrowed the gun in a bid to search for my cattle but I got carried away when I saw the impalas. I thought of slaughtering one animal in order to sell some of the meat and keep some as relish for my family,” he said.
Cecil was fined $350 or two months, 15 days in prison, in case of default.
He was also ordered to pay $1,000 to the manager of Cheese Farm to compensate for the impala.
Online Reporter