Five appear in court for possessing live pangolin

Lesley Chikudo, [email protected]

FIVE individuals appeared in court yesterday for the illegal possession of a live pangolin in Emakhandeni, Bulawayo, which they allegedly intended to use in rituals to attract luck and wealth.

The accused — Dumezweni Mlotshwa (30) of Tsholotsho, Richard Ncube (61) of Plumtree, Nassem Shanu (33) of Harare, Eunice Moyo (63), and Kalenani Lunga (64), both from Emganwini suburb — were arraigned before Western Commonage regional magistrate Mrs Sibongile Marondedze facing charges of contravening a section of the Parks and Wildlife Act.

They were remanded out of custody to February 3.
The prosecutor, Ms Christine Manyika told the court that detectives from the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in Bulawayo received intelligence indicating that the accused were in possession of a live pangolin and were seeking a traditional healer to perform rituals with the animal.

“One of the detectives posed as a traditional healer and arranged to meet the accused at Emakhandeni bus stop along Masiyephambili Drive,” said Ms Manyika.

The court heard that at around 9am, the detectives, driving a Ford Ranger, met the accused, who were travelling in a Toyota Hiace kombi. Upon arrival, the detectives identified themselves and requested to search the vehicle.

During the search, a live pangolin, concealed in a white plastic bucket under the seat occupied by the accused, was discovered.
An ecologist from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) was summoned to the CID offices in Bulawayo. The expert identified the animal as a live pangolin (Manis temminckii), a species protected under the Parks and Wildlife Act.

The ecologist examined the pangolin and issued a report confirming its protected status. The accused were arrested after failing to produce the required permits or licences to possess the animal.

Pangolins are classified as specially protected species and their possession without proper authorisation is a serious offence under Zimbabwean law.