Online Reporter
Fairness Moyana, [email protected]
A 29-YEAR-OLD security guard has been sentenced to an effective 18 months in prison after he was found in possession of wire snares used for poaching inside Sinamatella National Park in Hwange.
Bailout Tshuma, who is employed as a security guard at a mine in Hwange, was convicted on his own plea of guilty to two counts of contravening Section 81C of the Parks and Wildlife Act (Chapter 20:14).
He appeared before Hwange provincial magistrate Ms Rumbidzai Kabasa, who sentenced him to two years’ imprisonment, with six months suspended for five years on condition that he does not commit a similar offence, leaving him with an effective 18 months behind bars.
Prosecuting, Ms Pride Mharadza told the court that on January 28, rangers from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) were on routine patrol in Sinamatella National Park when they noticed suspicious footprints entering the protected area through an undesignated access point.
“The rangers followed the footprints and discovered 13 class one wire snares that had been unlawfully set for the purpose of trapping wild animals,” said Ms Mharadza.
The court heard that the footprints led the rangers out of the park to a residence belonging to Shintai Company, where Tshuma was located.
Upon questioning, the rangers established that Tshuma was responsible for setting the snares inside the national park.
“A further search at the accused’s place of residence resulted in the recovery of an additional 17 class one wire snares,” said Ms Mharadza.
Tshuma was subsequently handed over to the police, leading to his arrest.
The case comes amid intensified efforts by authorities to combat wildlife poaching and safeguard the country’s national parks, which continue to face threats from illegal hunting activities.
Bongani Ndlovu