Bulawayo Man Sentenced to Nine Years for Rhino Poaching in Beitbridge Conservancy
A 50-year-old man from Bulawayo has been sentenced to nine years in prison for his involvement in a rhino poaching syndicate operating in the Bubye Valley Conservancy located in Beitbridge. Greaters Nyoni, a resident of Northend suburb, was found guilty of killing and dehorning a rhinoceros, an act in violation of the Parks and Wildlife Act.
The rhino’s horns, valued at US$120,000, were the target of the poaching operation. Nyoni, along with accomplices Prince Mudenda, James Tapoka, Spencer Mharadza, and President Oswel Musekwa (who remains at large), devised a plan on July 14, 2022, to hunt down a rhino within the conservancy.
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According to the prosecution led by Mr. Ronald Mugwagwa, Nyoni and his associates, driven by Tedious Matimbire, ventured into the conservancy armed with a .375 rifle, belonging to Nyoni. Upon locating a black rhinoceros, they shot and killed it, after which Mudenda and Tapoka dehorned the animal using an axe. The horns, packed in a satchel, were then transported to Bulawayo in a grey Toyota Wish, with Matimbire at the wheel.
Nyoni subsequently traveled to Harare with Matimbire in another vehicle, where they sold the rhino horns. However, the crime came to light on July 15 when game scouts discovered the poached rhino and reported the incident to the police. Investigations led to the arrest of Mudenda, who implicated Nyoni, ultimately resulting in Nyoni’s arrest as well.
During the investigation, police recovered spent cartridges at the crime scene, although the stolen rhino horns remain unrecovered. Nyoni, despite pleading not guilty, was convicted based on overwhelming evidence and sentenced to nine years in prison by Beitbridge regional magistrate Mr. Innocent Bepura.