adminLeonard Ncube Victoria Falls Reporter
A POACHER was shot dead while three others were seriously wounded, one of them with his chin blown off, in a shootout with Parks and Wildlife Management Authority Rangers in Binga.
The gang of heavily armed poachers had allegedly shot and killed a female elephant and removed its tusks last Saturday.
One of the suspected poachers reportedly escaped leaving his accomplices when they came face to face with rangers at night.
No details about the dead poacher were availed while the injured have been identified as Choice Muntale, 33 from Siabuwa, Knowledge Siachibataka,36 from Siamuchembo,Gokwe and Clement Siapawo,30 from Siamuchembo Gokwe.
The trio is battling for life in the intensive care unit at Binga District Hospital.
The three appeared in court on their hospital beds on Wednesday charged with unlawful hunting in a Safari area and possessing elephant tusks.
Prosecuting, Bruce Maphosa said the poachers had established a base in the bush when park rangers ambushed them when they were cooking at about 10pm.
“On September 6 the accused proceeded to a river called Rwizirukuru at Chete Safari area in Siabuwa, Binga where they killed a female elephant and removed two tusks each weighing 5kgs.Rangers heard gun shots at 2pm and patrolled the area. At 10pm they came across the poachers who had made fire and monitored them while they were cooking,’ said Maphosa
The suspects were allegedly armed with two guns — a 303 riffle and a 450 riffle.
Parks rangers reportedly ordered the gang to surrender but the unnamed deceased immediately grabbed a riffle intending to shoot. The rangers were quicker to draw fire and shot him dead on the spot.
Muntale was shot on the leg while Siachibataka was also shot on the leg leaving with the bullet shattering his ankle while Siapawo had his chin sheared off by the bullet, leaving his teeth exposed.
“The rangers recovered the 303 riffle with four rounds of ammunition and the 450 riffle with two rounds. The two tusks were also recovered” said the prosecutor.
The accused were not asked to plead because they were in pain as they had just been wheeled from the theatre.
They were remanded to September 23 on their hospital beds, under heavy police guard.
Binga magistrate Stephen Ndlovu said elephant poaching is ripe in Matabeleland North and dozens of elephant carcases were recently recovered in Binga without tusks.
Recently, 21 villagers were warned and cautioned at Binga court after they teamed up to scavenge for meat from an elephant carcass.
In Victoria Falls two men, Christopher Muleya, 41 and Isaiah Sibanda both from Jambezi were shot dead by police and rangers after being suspected to be poaching in the Zambezi National Park.
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