News / National
Zimbabwe rangers captured in Botswana released
07 Apr 2011 at 06:36hrs | Views
Three Zimbabwe parks rangers and a forestry commission employee, who were held in Botswana for a month for alleged illegal entry and possession of weapons of war, were acquitted of the charges and deported.
The four guns in their possession when they allegedly strayed into Botswana while tracking poachers in Kazuma Pan National Park on March 10 were forfeited. Kasane magistrate Mr Sijabulisiwe Siziba acquitted the four after Francistown-based Zimbabwean lawyer Mr Mirira Furusa convinced Botswana National Director of Prosecution, Mr Leonard Sichele, in a pre-trial conference that the State would not prove its case.
Mr Sichele flew from Gaborone to the border town while Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority director-general Mr Vitalis Chadenga and his Forestry Company counterpart Mr Darlington Duwa drove from Harare.
"I told him in a pre-trial conference that there was no case against the rangers because in Botswana criminal law, the State must prove an intention to commit a crime first and in this case the State was not going to be able to prove the intention of the rangers to illegally enter the country, let alone to hold weapons of war. I am sure people can see for themselves that there was no case here.
"So, Mr Sichele, as the NDPP himself, realised it would be a waste of time to go for trial.
"So he concurred and they have been acquitted. They were deported because they did not have passports on them. The guns will be dealt with at government level," said Mr Furusa.
George Mathe, Wailos Mungombe, Kudakwashe Goredema and Willas Mukande were handed over to Zimbabwe immigration officials at Kasane at 3pm on Tuesday.
The four guns in their possession when they allegedly strayed into Botswana while tracking poachers in Kazuma Pan National Park on March 10 were forfeited. Kasane magistrate Mr Sijabulisiwe Siziba acquitted the four after Francistown-based Zimbabwean lawyer Mr Mirira Furusa convinced Botswana National Director of Prosecution, Mr Leonard Sichele, in a pre-trial conference that the State would not prove its case.
Mr Sichele flew from Gaborone to the border town while Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority director-general Mr Vitalis Chadenga and his Forestry Company counterpart Mr Darlington Duwa drove from Harare.
"I told him in a pre-trial conference that there was no case against the rangers because in Botswana criminal law, the State must prove an intention to commit a crime first and in this case the State was not going to be able to prove the intention of the rangers to illegally enter the country, let alone to hold weapons of war. I am sure people can see for themselves that there was no case here.
"So, Mr Sichele, as the NDPP himself, realised it would be a waste of time to go for trial.
"So he concurred and they have been acquitted. They were deported because they did not have passports on them. The guns will be dealt with at government level," said Mr Furusa.
George Mathe, Wailos Mungombe, Kudakwashe Goredema and Willas Mukande were handed over to Zimbabwe immigration officials at Kasane at 3pm on Tuesday.
Source - Byo24News
