Victoria Falls — A man, who was shot and injured on the palm by the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management (ZimParks) rangers, after attempting to stab gamekeepers, has been acquitted.
Claudius Mhlanga (47) 521 Madumabisa was found illegally fishing on Deke River and the rangers accused him of resisting arrest, possessing cyanide and fishing without a licence.
He was brought to court, but the magistrate found him not guilty and acquitted him of two of the three charges he was facing.
He pleaded not guilty to fishing without a permit, resisting arrest and storing a hazardous substance without a licence when he appeared before Victoria Falls magistrate Lindiwe Maphosa.
However, the magistrate acquitted Mhlanga on the charge of possessing cyanide, and resisting arrest, ruling the state had failed to prove its case.
The magistrate said the two witnesses from ZimParks were inconsistent in their testimonies.
The rangers had claimed that Mhlanga charged at them despite three warning shots being fired.
Mhlanga, who was represented by Nomsa Khumalo of Mvhiringi and Associates, was, however, found guilty of fishing without a permit and fined.
The impounded fish were forfeited to the state.
Prosecutor Asher Chindedza said the offence was committed on 12 September.
“On 12 September at 1 pm, the accused was found by ZimParks rangers fishing on the Deka Siankalali confluence without a permit,” the prosecutor told the court.
“Seeing that he was about to be arrested, the accused drew a knife and started to advance towards Prosper Muleya, a ranger who was armed with an AK 47 intending to stab him.”
The witnesses added Muleya fired warning shots in the air, but Mhlanga continued advancing, and was shot on the right palm and arrested leading to the recovery of a knife and 29,28kg of fish worth $12 444, and 50g cyanide wrapped in a plastic paper.
It turned the suspected cyanide were salt granules.