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Crime Reporter 
Police have arrested four poachers who last month escaped from National Parks rangers who were trailing them at Matopo National Park.
They have recovered two AK-47 rifles, three magazines and 113 rounds of ammunition.
Police spokesperson Superintendent Andrew Phiri yesterday said they were also looking for an ex-National Parks member Ndodana Dube, Dumisani Moyo (believed to be the ringleader), and four Zambians who could have escaped the country.
“On January 24, three game park rangers were carrying out surveillance at Mokotami Ovi in Matopo National Parks when they spotted four poachers with AK rifles at around 6.30am,” he said.
They tracked them for some time and decided to confront them at around 11am.
The rangers fired shots and the suspected poachers fled in two directions.
The rangers found bloodstains, believed to be from an injured suspected poacher and later came across three cellphones, 54 rounds of ammunition, a magazine, food and a bag of clothes.
“With the help of the cellphones, police managed to track down the suspects and arrested them in Bulawayo in separate incidents,” said Supt Phiri.
He said they indicated that they were working with Zambians based in Lusaka.
Police then recovered the rifles and ammunition.
“We have been receiving reports that many of these poachers are ex-members of the police force, army and prison services but investigations have revealed that they are foreigners working with the assistance of some locals,” said Supt Phiri.