Rangers shoot poacher dead

Maputo, 9 Jan (AIM) – The man shot dead by rangers of the Maputo National Park was a poacher who had been caught repeatedly killing animals in the park, according to a Thursday release from the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC).

For the past week there have been protests against the shooting of the poacher by residents of Matutuine district, where the park is located. The protests resulted in the temporary blocking of the main north-south highway (EN1) in the area of Salamanga.

The police intervened to clear the road and two people were injured in this clash.

The ANAC release said that the poacher was shot in the leg while fleeing from the park rangers. He was identified and arrested on 22 November, but managed to escape, in the company of a second poacher. The two left behind a Toyota Vitz vehicle they had used in their criminal activity.

When the rangers inspected the Toyota, they found a home-made firearm on the back seats and the bodies of three animals (all species of antelope) that the poachers had killed.

The rangers notified the Matutuine district attorney’s office, and accused the poacher of being a repeat offender. Local Matutuine residents said they knew nothing about any prior offences.

They claimed that the rangers had chased the poacher to his house, which they had surrounded.

They said the rangers shot him dead inside the house before a meeting could be held between park officials and community representatives.

(AIM)

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