A CENTRAL Intelligence Organisation operative based in Masvingo has been dragged to court on four counts of killing rhinos valued at $480 000 and selling the horns to private buyers in Zambia.
By Tatenda Chitagu
Mudenge Munashe Mugwira (age and rank not given) is among the five-member syndicate arrested alongside Tavengwa Machona (39) and Jason Chisango, who are being separately tried on the same charge.
They are facing a charge of contravening Section 45 (1) (a) of the Parks and Wildlife Act.
The other two, Chris Kombayi and Dumisani Moyo, have evaded arrest and are on the run.
Machona was last Friday slapped with a 35-year jail term by Masvingo magistrate, Langton Ndokera. Mugwira and Chisango are awaiting trial.
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Appearing for the State, Tawonga Musina told the court the gang first struck at Sango Valley Conservancy on February 10, 2014, armed with an AK47 rifle and shot a rhino before de-horning it.
They also returned 12 days later and gunned down three rhinos.
However, they ran out of luck on December 29 when they were arrested while trying to shoot other rhinos in the sanctuary. The suspects later assisted police detectives to recover the carcasses.