The men were apprehended after authorities discovered 4,3 metres of python skin and python bones in their possession while travelling.

They were arrested by detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) after being found in possession of python skins and bones in the city centre. The detectives searched the travelling bag they were carrying.

Bulawayo magistrate, Mr Abednico Ndebele granted them bail of US$100 each and remanded them to January 23. Presenting the State’s case, Mrs Tsungai Charmaine Mutapi-Saunyama said that on January 6 around 11 AM, CID detectives were on patrol in Bulawayo Central Business District (CBD) conducting stop and searches on all suspicious people they encountered during the patrol.

“At about 12 PM at TM Pick n Pay located at Hyper, detectives noticed that Thabo Mhlanga was standing holding a blue and white travelling bag in his hand. They became suspicious and approached him, identified themselves as per procedure and requested to search the bag he was carrying,” said Mrs Mutapi-Saunyama.

The court heard that upon conducting a search, the detectives discovered 4, 3 metres of python skin and python bones (python sebae) inside the bag.

After failing to produce a licence or permit that allowed him to be in possession of the python’s skins and bones, Mhlanga was arrested.

Python snake skin

“During interrogations, he implicated his brother Desmond Mhlanga as his accomplice, who was later also arrested after investigations. The recovered python skin and python bones were seized under seizure confirmation,” the court heard.

In 2016, a 46-year-old villager from Lupane was jailed for nine years for possessing a python skin. Police officers, acting on a tip-off, found the nearly four-metre-long python skin hanging on Elvis Khoza’s dining room wall.

He was immediately arrested after he failed to produce papers authorising him to be in possession of the skin.(@Chronicle)