adminNokusa Masuku Court Reporter
TWO Zanu-PF members who invaded Mazwi Nature Park were yesterday sentenced to an effective 12 months in prison.
Magistrate Tancy Dube also ordered the pair to pay $3,691 as compensation to the Bulawayo City Council which owns the sanctuary for damages caused to the property.
Tariro Magovanyika, 34, and Mark Muunganirwa, 35, had pleaded not guilty to criminal trespass and deforestation charges, but were convicted due to the overwhelming evidence against them.
Magistrate Dube sentenced them to an effective six months in jail for trespassing and another six months in prison for deforestation.
Prosecuting Kenneth Shava told the court that in June this year, Magovanyika and Muunganirwa invaded land enclosed by a fence which belongs to the Bulawayo City Council.
The court heard that they parcelled out the land to themselves and other individuals numbering about 400 without authority from the owner.
Council reserved Mazwi Nature Park for business ventures, church services, school camping, horse riding, dog track training and cattle rearing.
After allocating themselves the land, Magovanyika and Muunganirwa are said to have started cutting down trees.
In their defence, the two told the court that they did not cut down any tree. They also said they went to Mazwi Nature Park to demonstrate for land saying that under-utilised land should be given to youths.
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derick.khumalo