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Grace Nyoni/ Barbington Machingura, Midlands Reporters
Prominent Gweru businessman and music promoter Esau Hondora has been caught in a storm after pictures and videos of a python slithering from a sack which was in the boot of his Mercedes Benz went viral on WhatsApp and Facebook.

The pictures and the videos were taken on Saturday showing Hondora in the company of police officers, one carrying a sack with the python.

In the other video, police officers are surrounding the music promoter’s Mercedes Benz to get a glimpse of the reptile that was in a sack in the vehicle’s boot.

In one of the videos, police officers are seen removing the snake from the engine of a police Ford Ranger single cab after it slithered from Hondora’s vehicle.

Hondora was at pains yesterday to explain the story behind the pictures and the videos.

He said he was an innocent resident who had just assisted the police with transport from Lundi Park suburb where the reptile had been caught for an unknown destination.

“Around midday on Saturday I was in Lundi Park suburb visiting my friend Batsirai Danga. On our way out from his house we were called by two police officers who were asking for a lift to carry a python to National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority offices in town. However, when we got there, the offices were closed,” he said.

Hondora said they proceeded to Gweru Central Police Station and upon arrival, some officers asked to see the reptile.

“I opened the sack with the snake and it slithered on the tarmac and entered the engine of a Ford Ranger that was parked next to my vehicle. Parks guys were later called and came to pick up the snake. All this time, people were taking photos and videos and I never expected this to go viral. I have no connection with the snake. It’s not mine and I only assisted the police with transport,” said Hondora.

Acting Midlands province police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende confirmed that a resident brought a snake to the police so that it could be taken to National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.

“I hear there is a motorist who assisted the police officers with transport to carry a python from one of the suburbs where it was killing dogs,” she said.