Sandra Phiri
Two men from Madumabisa Village in Hwange have been sentenced to 16 months in prison for illegal wildlife trapping after being found guilty of contravening the Trapping of Animal Control Act.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ), Lungisani Moyo (38) and Joel Nyathi (27) appeared before the Hwange Magistrates’ Court after they unlawfully set 48 class one wire snares in Sinamatela Game Park in August 2025.
The snares resulted in the illegal killing of one impala and two female kudus.
The NPAZ said the matter came to light following a joint patrol by the police and Zim-Parks officers, who intercepted a man in the Lwendulu area carrying a suspicious black bag. “Upon searching him, authorities recovered 12 bundles of dried game meat. The man led officers to the first offender’s residence, where further illegal game products were discovered,” the NPA said.
Subsequent searches at both offenders’ homes yielded 22 bundles of dried game meat, kudu hooves, intestines, and other animal parts. Police investigations confirmed that wire snares had been used to trap the animals within protected parkland.The total value of the poached wildlife was placed at US$6,000.
The NPA said: “The offenders were sentenced to 26 months imprisonment of which 10 months were suspended for 5 years. They will serve an effective 16 months imprisonment.”
