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Guard fired after hippo attack

Wednesday, 28 December 2011 00:00

Wenceslaus Murape Senior Reporter

A crop guard, who poached fish from a dam while on duty and was later attacked by a hippo resulting in serious injuries, has been fired. Daniel Madiridze was employed by Hippo Valley Estates and had worked for the company since 1998.
On December 28, 2009 a disciplinary hearing was conducted against him, and he was charged with poaching by his employer.
It was alleged that Madiridze was guarding field 1053 and left his place of work without permission.
He crossed into the game park for purposes of poaching fish at Mieme River, 470 metres from his place of work. This resulted in him being attacked by a hippopotamus and sustaining serious injuries.
The disciplinary committee found Madiridze guilty and dismissed him from employment. Aggrieved by the dismissal, Madiridze appealed to the Labour Court arguing that the court, which heard his appeal, refused go with him to the scene.
He claimed that he was attacked only 80 metres from his workplace, and not 470 metres away.
Madiridze submitted that he had been discharged without notice, even though he had been injured while on duty. He further argued that he was discharged before recovery and was failing to get his medication.
Hippo Valley Estates on the other hand told the court it had proved Madiridze was attacked by a hippo 470 metres away from the field he was guarding.
The company submitted that Madi-ridze only insisted on a visit to the scene a month later. Hippo Valley further argued that Madiridze chased the hippo for more than 100 metres, which is prohibited in the company's code of conduct.
Labour Court president Ms Betty Chidziva said what was to be decided was whether Madiridze was poaching fish when he was attacked by the hippo.
Ms Chivizhe said: "It is also important to note whether Madiridze was aware of the safety and health matters relating to his job, and if the dismissal penalty was justifiable."
A report compiled jointly by the police, Hippo Valley security department, management, health and safety showed that Madiridze had been attacked some 470 metres from the field.
The report noted that a trail of blood from field 1053 to Mieme River about 470 metres away was found.
There was also a pool of blood on the river bed, about two metres away from the water body, that was visible.
Eight bream fish and a bag were strewn all over the scene of the attack, while another trail of blood led to a hidden fishing net about 130 metres upstream from the scene of the attack.
Hippo spoors and signs of struggle were also visible at the scene.
Ms Chidziva wondered why the investigating team would want to falsely implicate Madiridze.
"According to the safety procedures, guards were not allowed to move into the bush where there is no fence to a distance of more than 100 metres.
"In this case, there was an electric fence that Madiridze was not allowed to cross, and he knew requirements of the job," said Ms Chidziva.
She then ruled that Madiridze's appeal lacked merit and dismissed it.

Bad day for Daniel.

Nailed by CSI-Zimbabwe.