Cephas Shava
MWENEZI-A group of 11 self-styled traditional healers led by one Sinibiyo Kakono (50), who had been staying at Kudakwashe Bhasikiti’s Mwenezi orphanage before their fall out with the former Zanu PF heavyweight leading to their eviction, were arrested last Friday over allegedly poaching different wild animals using an unregistered firearm.
Following their eviction from the orphanage, the self-proclaimed healers initially camped just adjacent to Bhasikiti’s orphanage which is a few kilometres from Rutenga Growth Point but were later chased away by the Messenger of Court resulting in them opening a new home in the bush area of Altonburg Range where they ended up committing the offence they are now facing.
After initially appearing before Mwenezi Magistrate Gift Manyika on March 31, the 11 accused who include Kakono, Gracious Muchenje (51), Madzudzo Chikwenya (53), Benjamin Chuma (48), Joshua Muketiwa (29), Phanuel Dembetembe (57), Takunda Chisango (26), Zeb Musandipa (63), Innocent Chakanyuka (18), Norest Mapetere (26) and John Masaiti (48) were all remanded in custody to April 12 pending trial.
Presented by prosecutor Hardlife Machando, it is the State case that between March 17 and to 27, 2023, the accused who had set up a camp in the Altonburg Range bush area began to hunt wild animals using a firearm.
When members of the public heard suspicious incessant gun shots in the bushy area where the accused were camping, they immediately alerted Mwenezi detectives.
Upon instituting a thorough search at the accused’s camp, detectives recovered two Zebra skins hidden underground, three skins of Impala, two Eland horns and two Kudu horns which led to the arrest of accused persons.
According to the State, the firearm which was used in committing the offense was not recovered.
The State further opposed bail insisting that accused who do not have any identity documents had no fixed residential place.
By the time of writing all the accused were still in remand prison pending trial.
