BY NUNURAI JENA/ OBERT SIAMILANDU A VILLAGER from the Mola area of Kariba was beaten up by members of the anti-poaching unit based at Bumi Hills after they found him in possession of snares.
The villager, Stephen Machamacha, was found with snares which were being used to catch wild animals.
The Bumi Hills anti-poaching team comprises scouts and soldiers.
Sources told NewsDay that Machamacha was beaten all over the body.
“He was severely beaten by the Bumi Hills anti-poaching unit while on his way to Musamba fishing Camp on Friday morning. He was treated at Chalala Clinic.”
Villagers said soldiers from the Commando Regiment were deployed in the area on a rotational basis for the past five years, courtesy of the Bumi Foundation.
They said since their deployment, several villagers were beaten up or tortured by anti-poaching units.
Zimbabwe National Army spokesperson Alphios Makotore requested question in writing on Friday, but he still had not responded to them by the time of going to print last night.
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In an unrelated matter, the body of a yet to be identified mentally-ill man was found lying lifeless during the weekend near the newly-commissioned stands in Kasese suburb in Kariba.
Kariba district police boss Saul Mhanqwa told NewsDay that the victim was of no fixed abode and was suspected to have been trampled by an elephant.
He said his body was discovered by a passers-by with bruises all over.
“On April 30, 2022, police in Kariba reacted to information from a passer-by who noticed a human body lying on the ground near the dust road connecting Chawara and the main road,” Mhanqwa said.
“The body is yet to be identified. He was trampled by an elephant on an unknown date. The body had multiple injuries resulting from the elephant attack and elephant footprints were noted at the scene. Information obtained so far indicates that the deceased was a well-known mentally-challenged person of no fixed abode.”
The deceased’s body was taken to Kariba Hospital mortuary for post-mortem.
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