adminLeonard Ncube Victoria Falls Reporter
A 64-YEAR-OLD man from Binga and his son have been arrested for possessing a pangolin.
Andrew Mupande of Binga and his son Fact Mupande, 24, who is employed as a domestic worker in Chinotimba, Victoria Falls, appeared before Hwange magistrate Rose Dube yesterday.
Both father and son pleaded not guilty to possessing a specially protected animal.
The two, who are being represented by Tonderai Mukuku, were remanded in custody to Thursday next week for trial.
In denying the charge, Mupande and Fact said they picked up the animal and were arrested while on their way to hand it to Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.
Prosecuting, Onias Nyathi said detectives from the Minerals and Border Control Unit received information that Fact was in possession of a pangolin.
Acting on the information, the detectives proceeded to Fact’s house in Chinotimba but did not find him.
“On October 19, police received information that Fact was in possession of a pangolin which he intended to sell. The detectives proceeded to Binga to Mupande’s homestead but before they could get to the homestead, the officers saw the two accused disembarking from a vehicle,” said Nyathi. “After some time the two accused returned carrying a sack and went back to their vehicle. Before they could board the vehicle, the police requested to search the sack they were carrying and recovered a live male pangolin.”
Mupande and his son failed to produce a licence showing that they were permitted to deal or possess the pangolin and were arrested on the spot.
The pangolin was valued at $5,000 and was handed to the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority for safekeeping.
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