Zimpapers Logo

Fairness Moyana Chronicle Correspondent
A CONSERVATIONIST working with the Hwange-based Painted Dog Conservation (PDC) was on Tuesday night found dead after being axed at his cottage in Dete by unidentified men.

Sources close to the development said Gregory Leonard Gibbard, 54, an Australian national who was instrumental in the founding of Painted Dog Conservation and working as an administrator at the Conservancy, was found dead with wounds on his head in what is suspected to be a foiled robbery attempt by unknown men.

“It seems he was struck twice on the head with a sharp object like an axe we’re still in shock over the incident though we suspect that it might have been a robbery which is pretty unusual in this part of the country,” said an official who requested anonymity.

Police sources say Gibbard, whose cottage is located near Hwange Airport just outside Hwange National Park, was heard groaning in pain by Mthenjwa Sibanda, a security guard who was at the gate. He rushed to the scene and found Gibbard in a pool of blood lying face down.

“It’s with great sadness that we inform you that one of our founding PDC Inc members and friend Greg Gibbard . . . was tragically murdered on Tuesday night at the project headquarters,” said PDC in a brief statement on their website.

Police in Hwange confirmed the incident before referring this reporter to National spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba. Efforts to get a comment from Snr Asst Comm Charamba were futile as she was said to be in a meeting up to the time of going to Press.

Police are understood to be investigating the matter and a manhunt for the suspect/s has since been launched.

The conservancy, which is located at the entrance to Hwange National Park, has been instrumental in preserving the Painted Dogs also known as African Wild Dogs which are among the continent’s most endangered wildlife.

Under the guidance of the late Gibbard who was the Finance Director, PDC managed to win the alliance of local communities in their fight to protect the endangered dogs with members of the community taking part in anti-poaching patrols.