Zimparks employee jailed 20 years for poaching

Zim Now Writer

A 37-year-old Zimparks employee, Johane Guzha, who was employed by the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority based at Chipinge Safari was sentenced to 20 years in jail for unlawfully hunting and killing a black male rhinoceros and disposing its horns.

The Chipinge Magistrates’ Court heard that on October 22, 2022 at 0700hours the officer-in-charge of the Zimparks Chipinge station received information from a ranger on the patrol that there was a black rhino which had been shot and killed along Chindimayi River in the reserve.

Police investigations led to Guzha's arrest in connection with the killing of the black rhino.

The evidence presented before the court proved that he killed the rhino and dehorned it before giving the horns to Dickson Guzha, Tendai Zirema and Voster Masasa to sell.

The horns are valued at US$120 000, and nothing has been recovered yet.

Besides the 20-year jail term, Guzha was also ordered to compensate Zimparks the US$120 000 for the horns.

Meanwhile, Zimparks has reported a resurgence of poaching activities targeting rhinos at Zimbabwe’s Matobo National Park.

Matobo National Park in Matabeleland South has one of the highest rhino populations in the country.

Six poaching incidents have been reported at the game reserve this year, according to Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.