Procedural Failures Lead to Acquittal of Police Officers in Poacher’s Killing
CHINHOYI – Three police officers accused of fatally shooting a suspected poacher in Darwendale have been acquitted after the Chinhoyi High Court ruled that their prosecution violated legal procedures.
Justice Phildah Muzofa dismissed the case against Andrew Masanga, Brighton Makichi, and Trynos Rwanga, stating that their trial was legally void due to the absence of mandatory authorisation from the Prosecutor General (PG), as required under the Protection of Wildlife (Indemnity) Act.
The officers had been charged with the November 2018 shooting of Kurt Rahman, who was allegedly involved in illegal wildlife hunting.
Rahman and his companions were reportedly poaching reedbucks when police intercepted them, leading to an armed confrontation in which Rahman was killed.
According to Herald, the court determined that charging police officers without PG clearance directly contravened the Wildlife Act’s indemnity provisions, which protect law enforcement personnel acting within their official duties.
Justice Muzofa criticized the prosecution’s failure to adhere to statutory requirements, emphasizing that procedural violations had undermined the integrity of the trial.
Legal analysts say the ruling highlights the importance of judicial compliance in cases involving law enforcement actions, particularly when statutory protections apply.
The verdict raises broader concerns about how future prosecutions against security personnel should be handled, ensuring strict adherence to legal frameworks.
