Thursday 3 October 2019

ARMS CACHE FOUND IN NATIONAL PARK


POLICE in Victoria Falls are investigating a case where wildlife rangers found two metal boxes with 1 500 rounds of ammunition cached in the Zambezi National Park.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident and said investigations have been launched to establish the source of the arms.

“I can confirm that we received a report about such an incident and police are currently conducting investigations into the source of the ammunition,” said Asst Comm Nyathi. 

 He appealed to members of the public to come forward with information or to quickly report to the police if they come across any suspicious objects anywhere.

Mr Posent Mudenda, a Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority ranger stumbled on the arms in Kalisosa area in Zambezi National Park while leading a team of five wildlife researchers from Lion Encounter last Friday.

They found two metal boxes of 7.62mm ammunition with about 1 500 rounds inside. They reported the matter to the police and handed over the ammunition. 

A specialist team from the police and Zimbabwe National Army attended the scene.

Meanwhile, police and Zimparks are investigating a case where an 89-year-old man from Jambezi died after allegedly being attacked by elephants while herding cattle.

Robert Chindomate of Sisiyathu Village 2 under Chief Shana left his home on 23 September going to a grazing area about 5km from the village to herd cattle.

He prepared a makeshift shelter where he stayed.

His wife Ms Mhlangani Mpofu (63) discovered that he was missing on Monday when she followed him with the intention of giving him more food supplies.

Villagers usually camp in the bush to herd cattle during the dry season. Ms Mpofu discovered that the shelter had been destroyed by elephants and alerted villagers who conducted a search.

 A report was made to the police who teamed up with rangers from Zambezi Camp to search for the body which was found on Tuesday about 3km from the temporary shelter.

The body was in an advanced state of decomposition with multiple fractures while the clothes were torn. Chindomate’s body was taken to Bulawayo for post-mortem.

Zimparks spokesperson Mr Tinashe Farawo confirmed the incident and said investigations are underway. Chronicle

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