Maravi

(NEWZIMBABWE) Minister denies links to ranger's killers

Minister denies links to ranger's killers
12/01/2012 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter

DEPUTY Local Government Minister Sesel Zvidzai (MDC-T) has strenuously denied any links with three men arrested by police in Harare over the murder of a game ranger and rhinoceros poaching.

Detectives detained Zivanai Masvaire, 27, Charles Dowerowe, 37, and Shepherd Naite, 37, after they were intercepted before boarding a bus to South Africa with two rhino horns worth US$120,000.

When the trio appeared in court on Wednesday, it was revealed that an Isuzu KB300 truck they were travelling in was registered to Zvidzai.
But in a statement, Zvidzai said he was “surprised” that his name had been brought into the case.

He said: “The true facts of the matter are the car ceased to be mine on March 22, 2010, and the new owner is Rodgers Gaka of Harare who runs a car-rental company, Rodygar Tours and Car Hire.

"Since then, I have had nothing to do with the said vehicle and was surprised to see my name being linked to this vehicle probably because the change of ownership process is yet to be completed.”
The three men have been remanded in custody to January 23 for trial after being denied bail by a Harare magistrate.

Masvaire, Dowerowe, and Naite are charged alongside three other men who are on the run – soldier Naison Murindatsimba and brothers Ophel and Musiringo Makumburenga – with hatching a plan to kill and dehorn a rhino at Eldorado farm in Macheke on New Year’s Eve.
Masvaire, a game ranger at the farm, allegedly helped the other suspects breach security and kill the endangered animal.

Investigators say two cartridges recovered at the crime scene were fired from the same gun which killed a game ranger at the same farm last year.

Labels: MDC CORRUPTION, WILDLIFE

posted by MrK @ 1:48 AM