Tsholotsho headman up for poaching

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A TSHOLOTSHO village headman accused of unlawful possession of ivory had his application for discharge dismissed at the Hwange Magistrates’ Courts yesterday while his two subjects facing similar charges were acquitted for lack of evidence.

A TSHOLOTSHO village headman accused of unlawful possession of ivory had his application for discharge dismissed at the Hwange Magistrates’ Courts yesterday while his two subjects facing similar charges were acquitted for lack of evidence.

By SILAS NKALA

The village head, Streck Vundla, was being charged alongside Blessing Tshaba and Madlakadlaka Ncube.

The three were facing charges of contravening Section (128) (1) (b) of the Parks and Wildlife Act Chapter 20:14 after they were allegedly found in possession of 16,8kg of ivory in Mataka area on March 7 this year.

Through their defence lawyers Kolwani Ngwenya and Christopher Banda, they all applied for discharge at the close of the State case citing lack of evidence against them. But presiding magistrate Lindiwe Maphosa considered Tshaba and Ncube’s applications and acquitted them saying the State had failed to prove a prima facie case against them.

The court, however, dismissed Vundla’s application and ruled that he had a case to answer as there was overwhelming evidence that he committed the offence.

He was remanded to May 4 for his defence hearing.

The State had relied on evidence supplied by Oylster Msimango (14) and Victor Ncube, but the three argued that the teenager’s evidence was not true.