Man caged 9 years for possession of ivory

Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent

A 37-YEAR-OLD man from Binga has been sentenced to 9 years in jail after he was found in possession of raw ivory without a permit.

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) rangers found Sanders Munsaka (37) of Samuchinga Village under Chief Siabhuwa in Binga, with six raw elephant tasks weighing 52kilograms and with a total cost of US$8 700.

Gokwe Magistrate Mr Hillary Ndlovu convicted Munsaka of unlawful possession of raw ivory without a permit or a license and sentenced him to a mandatory nine-year sentence.

According to papers before the courts, on 30 July this year, ZimParks officials received information that Munsaka was in possession of raw ivory which he was selling.

“Acting on a tip off, the ZimParks officials carried out investigations pretending to be potential buyers and met Munsaka at Siamchembu 1 Business Centre in Gokwe North. They then introduced themselves to the accused person,” read the court papers.

The officials conducted searches and found six tasks stashed in a sack.

They then asked him to produce a permit for the ivory of which he failed to produce, leading to his arrest.

Mr Malvern Nzombe represented the State.