GENERAL Sibanda arrests 4 armed men who fired gun at his farm

Four heavily armed men have been arrested for invading Zimbabwe Army Commander General Phillip Valerio Sibanda’s guarded farm in Banket where they opened fire and killed a duiker while the top soldier was present.

The convicts appeared at Chinhoyi courts where three of the quartet pleaded guilty to the charges before Magistrate Tariro Shirichena who sentenced them to three months in prison with an option of a $200 fine.

The jail sentence was wholly suspended on condition that they do not commit a similar offence within the next five years, while the fourth who pleaded not guilty will appear in court on February 12.

The court heard that on January 19,  Misheck Njowa, Petios Mashiri and Job Njetwa unlawfully and intentionally hunted and killed an antelope (duiker) at Freedom Farm Banket.

The accused boarded an Isuzu Dtex 7484 driven by Lawrence Kashipari to the farm where upon arrival they killed the wild animal using a firearm.

The gunshot was heard by Phillip Valerio Sibanda who was at his farm.

He then instructed soldiers who provided security at his farm to go and check what was happening.

The armed forces then laid an ambush and intercepted the four with the following items in their vehicle; a common duiker carcass, 2 by 2.2 rifles with telescopic sight SW 30029 and 01692, 2 by 2 fully charged magazines with five rounds, 19 loose rounds, 2 hunting torches and an okapi knife.

The accused failed to provide evidence of a  permit to allow them to carry out hunting activities.

The duiker is valued at $1 500.

ZwNews.com