Prison boss remanded in custody

Comm Apinos Darlington Mudzamiri (51), Innocent Nyakupe (42) and Tinotenda Mapanga (18) were arrested under a joint operation by a team from the Border Control and Minerals Unit, Parks and Wildlife Management rangers and officers from Siyabuwa Police Station.
The trio appeared before Hwange resident magistrate Mr Collet Ncube recently on charges of contravening the Parks and Wildlife Act. The three who are denying the charges, were all remanded in custody, their trial date has been set for April 5.
They were denied bail after the State represented by Mr Tinomupei Mbiza submitted that they were facing a serious offence, which if convicted might face up to 20 years each in jail. He submitted that they were a flight risk and should be remanded in custody to allow police to mop up investigations.
Allegations against the trio arose after they were apprehended while driving in a Government vehicle registration number GLL 4022 in Sinchembo area in Victoria Falls on March 9 this year.
He said police officers were conducting a joint operation with Parks and Wildlife Authority Management rangers in a bid to reduce cases of poaching in the Chitekete and Sinchembo areas in Gokwe North.
During the operation the teams came across a Mahindra pick up truck in which the trio and a fourth accomplice identified as Maseve Shava who is still at large were travelling in the Sinchembo area.
The team stopped the vehicle and identified themselves as police officers and parks rangers from Hwange. They told the four the purpose of the operation and requested to search the vehicle. As the team was about to search the vehicle Shava immediately took to his heels and disappeared into a nearby bush.
The team searched the vehicle and recovered eight elephant tusks hidden behind the vehicle seat.
They were arrested.