Couple arrested for ivory possession

Nokutenda Rusero

INNOCENT Chiwanza and his wife Angeline Sithole were recently arrested for unlawful possession of ivory.

The police received a tip-off in February that Chiwanza had unlawfully hunted and killed an animal in the Hippo Valley area. The police teamed up with officers from Zimparks and Game Scouts from Malilangwe Conservancy and started investigating the case.

They raised Chiwanza’s house and found an assortment of hunting equipment, including two homemade spears, a homemade hunting knife, torches, a bow and four arrows as well as an elephant tusk wrapped in white church garments. They were denied bail and they are currently in custody. The elephant tusk is valued at US$50 000.