Chronicle Editor
Jesse Ncube, Chronicle Reporter.
A VICTORIA Falls man has been sentenced to five months in jail after he set wire snares to trap animals at the iconic Big Tree which is a tourist attraction in the resort town.
The baobab Big Tree, where tourists pose for pictures and view wild animals, is located next to the Zambezi River, a few hundred metres upstream from the Falls.
Admire Ncube (29) of Mkhosana suburb was apprehended by anti-poaching unit scouts after he set 11 snares near the Big Tree.
The anti-poaching team ambushed Ncube on December 31, last year as he was checking the snares.
Ncube pleaded not guilty to setting up snares with the purpose of trapping any animal when he appeared before Victoria Falls magistrate Ms Rangarirai Gakanje.
He was slapped with a five months jail sentence but two months were suspended on condition of good behaviour.
In defence, Ncube said he was fetching firewood in the bush near the Big Tree when the anti-poaching team apprehended him.
He accused the anti-poaching team of forcing him to admit that the wire snares were his even though he had not committed the crime.
“I do not know anything about the wire snares as I am not the one who set them. I was just looking for firewood when they approached me and forced me to take the wire snares as if they were mine. They also beat me up using a switch forcing me to admit to the offence,” said Ncube.
Prosecuting, Mr Onias Nyathi said the anti-poaching unit discovered the snares while on patrol around the Big Tree.
“The anti-poaching unit scouts were on patrol at around 2PM when they saw some wire snares and laid an ambush. Later the accused person came checking the wire snares and was arrested,” said Mr Nyathi. — @Zikhali_jay
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