KAROI A Karoi magistrate will today hear a bail application by a prison officer facing charges of unlawful possession of ammunition and violating the Wildlife Act after he allegedly supplied bullets to a poacher in Kazangarare, Hurungwe district. (Pictured:An Elephant killed for its tusks)
Tobias Chitswanda (27) was arrested last week and initially appeared before magistrate Elisha Singano last Friday who remanded him in custody to Monday. On Tuesday, another magistrate Archibold Dingane took over the case and said he will consider Chitswandas bail application today (Wednesday). ”Bail application will only be considered tomorrow as the court needs to weigh facts from both the defence and the State,” ruled Dingane. It is the state’s case that Chitswanda supplied live bullets to a Kazangarare-based poacher, Langton Madzviti, on September 8 this year with the intention to unlawfully kill elephants for their tusks. Madzviti, who had his gun at his rural home, was arrested selling game meat in Karoi and implicated Chitswanda of supplying the bullets. Police recovered one FN bullet at Chitswanda’s house in Chikangwe suburb in Karoi during investigations.
Defence lawyer Samuel Muyemeki asked the court to have the charges altered, saying his client is accused of supplying bullets but not poaching. ”My client is accused of supplying bullets to the other accused who could have killed elephants or any other animals for the purpose of poaching, but the onus is for the court to prove it. Its my submission that the charge be altered for my client when the court considers bail and prefer unlawful possession of ammunition,” said Muyemeki. Prosecutor Benjamin Negato argued that Chitswanda and Madzvitis cases were inter-linked and altering one charge would weaken the case which the accused are facing. ”Poaching is one case that the State is battling to reduce and custodial sentence is likely and if the accused are given bail, they may abscond,” said Negato.
Poaching has been rife in Zimbabwe since landless villagers began invading with the governments tacit approval white-owned farms in 2000. There have also been widespread reports of illegal and uncontrolled trophy hunting on former white-owned conservancies now controlled by powerful government and ruling ZANU PF party politicians. Several endangered animal species such as the black rhino have been found dead in sanctuaries in the past few years amid reports that senior army and police officials were behind the illegal hunting activities. Conservationists say hundreds of elephants have been forced to migrate across strife-torn Zimbabwes borders, fleeing poachers and human encroachment into wildlife areas.
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