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Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba

George Maponga Senior Reporter
Police have reportedly deployed over 50 officers to provide security at Mjingwe Conservancy in Mwenezi where over 30 villagers have been arrested for destroying property worth over $110 000 as the battle to control the wildlife-rich sanctuary rages on.

Mjingwe Ranch is at the centre of a wrangle between villagers around the conservancy and a South Africa-based private investor who has partnered the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority to run the conservancy.

Villagers are against the takeover of the conservancy by the new partners. They have been pushing Government to allocate them land at Mjingwe under the wildlife-based land reform programme.

Government withdrew 25-year hunting leases from several top officials who have been allocated land at Mjingwe under the wildlife-based land reform programme.

However, villagers reportedly torched several lodges, houses, fuel tanks and a vehicle in a bid to force the parks authorities and the private investor to cede the property to them.

Villagers also recently vandalised the perimeter fence around the conservancy leading to the straying of over 50 Buffaloes and other wild animals into adjacent communities.

This forced police to intervene. They sent a team led by Masvingo ZRP Officer Commanding Crime Assistant Commissioner Crispen Makedenge to hunt down the suspected arsonists amid reports that some of them were hiding in mountains to evade arrest.

Acting Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa yesterday referred all questions national police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba.

Senior Asst Commissioner Charamba, however, said she was out of her office while attending the Harare Agricultural Show. Police sources yesterday revealed that scores of anti-riot police had been deployed to the conservancy to maintain peace and order at Mjingwe.

The sources added that teams from the ZRP Dog Section were tracking some of the suspects believed to have sought refuge in the surrounding mountains and hills.

Five of the suspects were nabbed at the weekend after a police operation. This has brought to nearly 30 the number of villagers arrested for disturbances at Mjingwe amid reports police were still looking for more suspects.

The five yesterday appeared before Mwenezi magistrate Mr Honest Musiiwa facing malicious damage to property charges. Mr Musiiwa remanded Judas Siziba (21) and Handsome Siziba (32) of Chikomba Village, Terrence Shava (21) and Stanford Sibanda (26) of Vakanai village together with Ackim Siziba (26) of Chomukamba village all under Chief Mazetese in Mwenezi to September 4 for trial when they appeared for initial remand.

According to the State, the five suspects are part of a group of nearly 60 Mwenezi villagers who teamed up and went to Mjingwe Conservancy on July 18 this year where they descended on one of the managers’ Mr Dennis Ndlovu’s house.

The accused allegedly torched Mr Ndlovu’s Toyota Hilux vehicle, a nine-roomed thatched house, four lodges,900 litres of diesel, five compound houses and a skins’ shade valued at $116 000.

The villagers allegedly fled after committing the offence. They were reported to the police. Ms Angelina Makonya prosecuted those who appeared in court.

Mjingwe is one of the biggest wild-life sanctuaries in Masvingo.