Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube in Victoria Falls
FIVE men appeared in the Victoria Falls Magistrates’ Court on charges of illegal possession of two elephant tusks.
Albert Ndlovu (46) of BH 9, Bernard Sibanda (53) of BH24, Anele Mpofu (43) of BH56, Stuart Msipa (52) of BH57, all in the Ndlovu area outside Victoria Falls town, and Ian Mpala (47) of Mkhosana suburb, claimed they’d picked the tusks in the bush.
The five were not asked to plead when they appeared before Victoria Falls resident magistrate Ms Linda Dzvene, who remanded them in custody to next week Thursday.
Prosecutor Miss Audrey Mukanganya said police received a tip-off on September 15 that the five were in possession of elephant tusks, which they intended to sell.
“Information was followed up leading to the arrest of the accused, who were found in possession of two unmarked raw ivory without a permit,” said Miss Mukanganya.
The anti-poaching team comprising police and Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority rangers laid an ambush on Mpala, Mpofu and Msipa and found them with a sack containing the two elephant tusks, and arrested them.
The trio pointed to Ndlovu and Sibanda as the owners of the tusks and they were arrested after a raid at their homesteads.
They claimed to have picked the tusks in the bush sometime back and kept it.
The weight of the tusks was not given in court, but they were valued at $54 978.
Mr Thulani Nkala of Dube and Nkala is representing the accused. — @ncubeleon
Online Reporter