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Mashudu Mambo
TWO village heads from Dete in Matabeleland North province have been slapped with 12 months imprisonment term after they killed a lion worth US$20 000.
Elias Nyoni (51) and Zenzo Ndlovu (47) pleaded guilty to setting a class one wire snare for trapping a lion before a Hwange magistrate recently. Six months of their sentence was suspended for five years on condition of good behavior and they were ordered to reimburse Zimparks of US$20 000. The duo will serve an effective six months’ jail term.
The court heard that on 17 May 2024, the Zimparks made a report to the police following suspicions that a lion had been killed. This was after they realised that the collar tracking signal had been stationary from 12 to 17 May 2024.
The police and the Zimparks went to the scene to locate the lion and found the carcass of a donkey and a class one wire snare with lion fur. Investigations were carried out in the illegal settlements of Muraga and they linked the village heads to the crime.
The police recovered a collar tracker which was destroyed beyond repair, three sacks of game meat as well as 16 lion claws and four lion teeth from the duo leading to their arrest.
Online Reporter