admin
and Stephen Chizema (38) have since appeared in court charged with unlawful possession of endangered species and cruelty to animals. They were not formally charged when they appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Archie Wochiunga.
They were remanded out of custody on US$100 bail each coupled with reporting conditions. The pair applied to be charged with one offence claiming that the State had split charges which emanated from the same facts. Prosecutor Mr Innocent Chingarande, however, opposed the application and Mr Wochiunga will rule on the matter today. Mr Chingarande alleges that on July 1, detectives from Border Control and Minerals Unit received information to the effect that the pair was in possession of a pangolin, at the Corner of Robert Mugabe and Enterprise Roads.
The two were driving a metallic silver Nissan Almera towards Eastlea to allegedly look for a buyer.
The detectives traced them and caught up with them along Robert Mugabe Road. It is alleged that they identified themselves and requested to search the pair’s vehicle. The two complied. Police recovered the pangolin in question in the boot. Muusha, it is alleged, told the police that Chizema was the owner and upon further questioning they confessed they picked the animal in a bush. They were arrested after failing to produce the required documents.
The pangolin was brought to court as an exhibit and was taken by officials from Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, who handed the animal to Ms Lisa Hywood, from an animal trust, for safekeeping.
derick.khumalo