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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
POLICE in Beitbridge have arrested four Three Way Safaris game rangers who allegedly fatally shot a motorist they suspected of poaching.

The incident occurred last Thursday night, 80km along the Beitbridge-Masvingo road.

Police said the now deceased, Talent Sibanda, was shot in the back while driving a Toyota Corolla along a road near the ranch while in the company of five friends.

The quartet, Private Moyo, 30, Abednigo Ncube, Alphious Chilombo and Quinn Willem Kloppers whose ages were not given, briefly appeared before Beitbridge provincial magistrate, Gwineth Drawo to answer to a murder charge.

Through their lawyer, Charles Ndlovu, they denied the charge and applied for refusal of further remand arguing that their actions were protected by the Protection of Wildlife Indemnity Act.

Drawo placed them off remand arguing that the State had to seek authority from the Attorney-General’s office to prosecute the suspects in line with the provisions of the Protection of Wildlife Indemnity Act (Chapter 20:15) sections, 2, 3 and 4.

The State led by Jabulani Mberesi alleges that on February 27 at around 1AM, the suspects teamed up and carried out an anti-poaching operation at Three Way Safaris.

Mberesi said they were patrolling using a Toyota Land cruiser registration number ABD1659 and during the process spotted some vehicle lights and made a follow up.

When they eventually caught up with Sibanda and his friends, the now deceased sped off resulting in the four giving chase. The rangers fired several shots in the victim’s direction thereby subsequently shooting Sibanda in the back, the court heard.

Mberesi said Sibanda was forced to stop the vehicle.

He said the rangers then took the five other occupants to the police and rushed Sibanda to Mwenezi Clinic where he was pronounced dead on arrival.