A ZAMBIAN man has been jailed for six months for possessing an unregistered firearm suspected to have been used for poaching and armed robbery in the country.

Daniel Mudimba Muzamba (20) was arrested on Monday in a bush near Cross Dete in Hwange District.

He pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing a firearm without a licence when he appeared before Hwange magistrate Ms Sharon Rosemani.

Muzamba was slapped with an effective six months jail term and his firearm, a Point 375 rifle, was forfeited to the State.

Asked where he got the rifle from, Muzamba said: “I got it from Zambia and crossed into Zimbabwe on January 24 through Mlibizi in Binga.”

Mlibizi is a crossing point widely used by Zambian traders who cross into the country using canoes after obtaining a day’s pass from the police.

The Zambian admitted that the firearm was used to shoot elephants in illegal hunting activities in Binga and Hwange although no particular incident has been established where he used it.

Muzamba reportedly lived in Chuziya Village under Chief Sinagonde in Lusulu, Binga from where he had been allegedly committing other crimes with an unnamed local who has also since been arrested.

The pair is expected to appear in court soon to face charges connected with using the firearm.

“On February 20 and in a bush area near Cross Dete, the accused person was caught with a .375 rifle serial number 70403. Investigations were carried out with the Central Firearm Registry and it was established that the firearm isn’t registered,” said the prosecutor, Mr Onias Nyathi. – State Media