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Lingani Nyika, Chronicle Reporter

LOVE for fish has landed three Victoria Falls men in trouble with the law after they were arrested for fishing in the Masue River.

Simon Muzamba (42) of 6980 Mkhosana, Hebert Ndlovu (48) of 1364 and Wellington Muzamba (38) of 1364 in Chinotimba said they wanted the fish to feed their families.

They were arrested by scouts from the Victoria Falls Anti-Poaching Unit after being found with more than 8kg of fish worth $2 091.

The trio could not produce fishing permits allowing them to catch fish in the river that feeds into Zambezi River in the gorges.

The river cuts across Chamabondo National Park and scores of people fish from it despite the activity being prohibited.

The trio was charged with fishing without a permit.

Ndlovu, Simon and Wellington pleaded guilty when they appeared before Victoria Falls resident magistrate Ms Lindiwe Maphosa.

Each was sentenced to six months in prison before two months were suspended on condition of good behaviour.

They will however, not taste jail life as the magistrate further suspended the remaining four months for each of the trio on condition that they perform 140 hours of community service.

Ndlovu of will do unpaid work at the Victoria Falls Registry office, Simon at the Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) Victoria Falls depot and Wellington at the Victoria Falls Central Mechanical Equipment Department (CMED).

The fish were confiscated by the game scouts.

Prosecuting, Miss Audrey Mukanganya said the trio were arrested on Tuesday last week.

“On June 15, 2021 at around 6AM, the three accused persons went to Masuwe river, Victoria Falls where they cast a fishing net and caught 8.2 kg of fish. The accused persons were then intercepted by Anti-Poaching Unit scouts who were on patrol who requested accused persons to produce a permit which allows them to catch fish but they failed hence their arrest,” said Miss Mukanganya.