THREE Hwange men have been slapped with a one-year jail term each for poaching a warthog in Sinamatela National Park.
Pharaoh Chuma (32), Conrad Ncube (30) and Nesbert Siziba (30) appeared before a Hwange Magistrate on charges of contravening the Parks and Wildlife Act.
The trio will, however, perform 210 hours each of community service after six months of the sentence were suspended on condition of good behaviour.
According to court papers, on July 12 this year, at around 8am, rangers from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority were on routine patrol in the Sinamatela National Park where they noticed a suspicious spoor.
The court heard that the rangers tracked it for three kilometres and found the trio in possession of a warthog carcass, a spear and two axes.
When Chuma and his accomplices saw the rangers, they ran away but he was apprehended.
The other two were later arrested.
The warthog carcass, spear and two axes were recovered.
The warthog was valued at US$1 000.