Zimbabwe: $3bn Reward Offered

The Herald (Harare)
Published by the government of Zimbabwe

30 November 2007
Posted to the web 30 November 2007

Harare

The National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority has set a $3 billion reward for anyone with information leading to the arrest of poachers who shot and killed three rhinos at Imire Game Park outside Marondera early this month.

The reward comes when the country is experiencing poaching on its national and private parks despite the fact that the authority has dehorned all the country's rhinos to protect them against poachers. In a statement, the authority said the reward had been set aside to encourage people with information on the incident to open up and help it to close on the poachers and help secure the country's wildlife.

"Following the rhino poaching incident that took place recently at Imire Game Park, the parks authority has set aside a sum of $3 billion to be given as reward to the person who provides information which will lead to the arrest and conviction of the three suspected poachers who killed the rhinos," it read. A fortnight ago, suspected poachers strayed into Imire Game Park, shot and killed three rhinos leaving a baby rhino. In an earlier interview, parks spokesperson Retired Major Edward Mbewe said the move to weed out poachers in the country would be intensified following the increase in incidences of poaching in the country's wildlife parks.

"Our duty is to protect the country's wildlife and as a result we will not tire until such elements are brought to book. As parks, we are greatly disturbed by the pockets of rhino poaching that have been recorded in the country recently despite the fact that the authority dehorned all the rhinos in the country.

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