Shurugwi men sell hyena meat to villagers
Magistrate Percy Mukumba has ordered a Shurugwi man to pay a US$100 fine or spend three months in jail after he killed a ‘hyena’ and sold around 45 kg of its meat to unsuspecting Shurugwi villagers.
Tinashe Mhlabati (25) of Village 8, Zhaugwe in Shurugwi was also ordered to pay US$1 000 compensation to the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (ZimPakrs).
Mhlabati was found guilty on his own plea when he appeared in court on Wednesday. The matter is under CR56/06/24.
He told the court that he knowingly hunted the hyena with six dogs, killed it and sold its meat to unsuspecting villagers.
Mhlabati was also found cooking some of the meat at his homestead. Police officers also recovered the hyena’s tail at his homestead.
The incident happened last Friday around 1 pm at Zhaugwe.
A hyena’s fur is poisonous and in African society the carnivore is believed to be used for rituals by witches. Hyenas are however, a delicacy in other parts of the world as Saudi Arabia.
Circumstances are that Mhlabati and Artwell Mukoki who is still at large hunted down the hyena with six dogs and killed it.
They skinned it and ate some of the head and sold most of the meat to unsuspecting villagers at Zhaugwe Business Centre.
Police received a tipoff that the duo was in possession of hyena and they went to Mhlabati’s homestead where they found the hyena’s tail and some cooked meat.
Four hyena legs were found at Artwell Mukoki’s homestead and he escaped arrest. Mhlabati told Police details that they sold most of the meat at the business centre.
The recovered remains were taken to Gweru ZimParks and were confirmed to be that of a spotted hyena. The remains weighed 1.95kg. A fully grown hyena weighs around 50kg.
Tadadzwa Guzete prosecuted. Masvingo Mirror
