Poachers-rangers in shoot out

From Fortune Dlamini in Binga

Bulawayo Sunday News

FOUR armed poachers were involved in a shoot out with National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority rangers at Chizarira National Parks on Wednesday, police confirmed.


The suspects however fled from the scene, leaving behind their 303 rifle.
The police spokesman for Matabeleland North province, Assistant Inspector Philip Mpofu, said the incident took place when the rangers and the Police Support Unit were on patrol in the park.

“Rangers from the National Parks and some police from the Support Unit were on patrol when they heard two gun shots. They then ran to the direction of the gun shots where they were engaged in a shoot out with four armed suspects,†he said.

Asst Insp Mpofu said the suspects then fled from the scene. When the police went to investigate, they recovered a 303 rifle, which is inscribed with the name ‘Mafukudze.’
“There were no arrests made, but we are trying to track down the owner of the rifle using the inscribed name and the rifle’s serial number. We are not sure if the name inscribed is the owner of the rifle. The rifle was loaded with three rounds of ammunition,†he said.
The police spokesman said they also suspect that the poachers had set up camping sites in the area as they also found 5kg of mealie-meal, a 5litre container of water, 1 knife and an empty scud container.

Of late, there have been a number of shooting incidents between poachers and rangers at the park. Two weeks ago, a poacher was shot dead in Victoria-Falls, while another game ranger was shot and injured during a serious gun battle with poachers in the Chizarira National Park.
The Police Support Unit had been deployed to track down the poachers. Another game ranger was shot in the buttocks in another gun battle with poachers at the same National Park.
Sometime last month, three armed poachers were arrested in Gweru after they were involved in a shoot out incident with the owners of the farm where they had been caught skinning two zebras they had killed.