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Fairness Moyana in Hwange
A MAN from Dete is lucky to have escaped a custodial sentence after he was convicted of setting wire snares that led to the death of a painted dog.
Under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a painted dog is classified under the red list of threatened animals as an endangered species.
Mpilo Mhlanga (37) of Dopota Village in Dete, employed as a security guard at Dete Valley 3 Gwayi Farm was convicted on his own plea of guilt under the Trapping of Animals Control Act by Hwange provincial magistrate, Mr Ntando Dube last week.
Mhlanga said he was pushed to commit the offence after he had gone for several months without pay.
“Your worship, I am employed at Valley 3 farm in Gwayi as a security guard. My employer has not been paying me for the past three months and out of the need to look after my family I set some wire snares with the intention to catch game meat. Unfortunately in the process it caught the painted dog. May this court be merciful as I did this out of desperation,” he pleaded.
Convicting him, Mr Dube said poaching was a serious crime especially when it involved a protected species. However, he said the court would take into account the mitigatory factor that he was in a state of need brought on by lack of pay.
He was slapped with a four-month prison term which was wholly suspended for five years on condition he does not commit a similar offence within the period.
Online Reporter