Zimbabwe: land of animal lovers

Although it has been 17 years since he lived there, Walt still has contacts in the Land of Bambazonke, aka Zimbabwe, in the southeast part of darkest Africa.

Zimbabwe is full of wildlife. Tourists come from the four corners of the earth to see the animals before they are poached and eaten. The locals -- notice I didn't say "natives" -- are great animal lovers too, as evidenced by a case heard in the court at Marondera this week.

Not pictured above is Tawanda Rangwani, aged 18, of Kuwarega village in Masomera, who pleaded not guilty to a charge of bestiality, after (allegedly) having been caught with his pants down having relations with a neighbour's goat.

The court was told that the complainant Ndaizivei Mero tied her goat to a tree and left it grazing. The accused allegedly untied the goat and took it to a nearby bush where he sexually abused it. He was allegedly caught in the act by another villager, Chamunorwa Mhimha, and fled from the scene. Mr Mhimha pursued the accused and apprehended him before filing a police report.

In his defence, Mr Rangwani said he had been framed. Magistrate Sharon Mashavire will give her judgment on December 4th. The state was represented by Marvelous Machacha, whose name has been entered in Walt's collection of marvelous African monikers.