Parks officer nabbed for dealing in zebra hides

Beitbridge Reporter

A senior officer in the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority in Beitbridge and three other men have been arrested for allegedly illegally dealing in zebra hides.

The Officer Commanding Police in Beitbridge, Chief Superintendent Nicholas Mawere, said the suspects were arrested on Saturday following the recovery of three zebra hides in Dulibadzimu suburb.
“We arrested four suspects, one of them a chief warden, after our officers who were on routine patrol came across some people who were making shoes using zebra hides and on further investigation we eventually arrested three people from Zezani area who then implicated the officerincharge of the parks,†he said.
Chief Supt Mawere said they were still investigating.
“As police we suspect there are more people involved in this syndicate. However, we have intensified our investigations,†he said.
The suspects would soon appear in court facing charges of contravening a section of the Parks and Wildlife Act.
Recently police in Beitbridge also smashed an animal hides smuggling syndicate involving Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority officers and soldiers.
The suspects intended to smuggle animal hides into South Africa through an undesignated entry point along the Limpopo River.
The suspects have since appeared in court.