by Gideon Madzikatidze/Simbarashe Sithole in Plumtree
Three Figtree villagers, (from Jeqe village), appeared before Plumtree magistrate Mr Joshua Nembaware for allegedly poaching and killing a wild beast from Shashane Game Conservancy, with scouts tracking down shoe-prints and found carcass remains in their respective homesteads.
Nembaware remanded Master Ncube (36), Mphathisi Ncube (21) and Mqhelisi Ncube (42) to September 01 for unlawfully (and without a permit) killing and removing a male wild beast from Sundowns Estate game reserve, (under Shashane conservancy), which is managed by Edwards Conna Victor (complainant) to their homesteads thereby contravening the sections of parks and wildlife act chapter 20:14.
The State alleges that on July 25 of 2025 at around 07:00 hours and during routine foot patrols, Shashane game scouts including Timothy Nkala, Gald Moyo and Shepherd Ndhlovu noticed some suspicious shoe-prints following on an animal trail in the park. The scouts tracked down shoe-prints spore which led them to the scene where the animal was killed and the accused persons vanished with the carcass.
The scouts initially launched an ambush on the respective accused’s homesteads and found nothing. They were accompanied by police to Shashane village and ambushed.
Further investigations led to the arrest of the suspects.