Villagers feast on lion meat

By Nobuhle Nyoni

FIVE men from Dete are alleged to have hunted down and killed a lion before skinning it and feasting on the meat with their families.

This was heard at the appearance of Chrispen Mumpande (37), Plaxidas Mumpande (32), Ndubeko Mumpande (30), Amon Talalamu Mulambo (74) and Innocent Sibanda (45) all from Siyanyanga village in Dete, before Hwange magistrate, Mr Peter Tomupeyi Madibha, for hunting without a permit.
The court heard that on 31 October this year a woman from the Siyanyanga village in Dete was fetching water from a well when she came face to face with a lion.
Sensing danger the woman ran for dear life and alerted other villagers of what she had encountered, not knowing that it was the unfolding of a drama.
The accused persons then armed themselves with axes and stones and traced the lion.
Upon arrival at the well they attacked the lion with stones and finished it off with axes.
They skinned the lion, took the meat to their homes and feasted on it with their families.
After eating the meat they then took the animal’s skin to Hwange Rural District Council officials who then reported the matter to the police leading to their arrest.
They admitted to the charges levelled against them and were remanded out of custody to 2 December.
Mr Sifelumusa Fuzane prosecuted.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident two men have been arrested for failing to produce a licence or permit for being in possession of animal trophies.
The men, who are brothers, Chester and Joshua Masite, were charged with illegal possession of animal trophies.
The brothers, who reside at 3170 Nkulumane 5 were arrested on 10 November by detectives from the Criminal Investigation Department in Bulawayo.
The matter came to light after the detectives received a tip off from members of the public.
According to State papers the two were arrested the same day after the detectives searched and found two Zebra skins and five Impala skins. The value of the items is US$4 500.
The pair was remanded in custody to 16 November for judgment.