adminLuthando Mapepa
POSSESSING two python skins worth $4 000 earned a 43-year-old Chipinge man nine years behind bars. Jealous Mhlanga of Hangani Village under Chief Mutema in Chipinge appeared before Mrs Sharon Chipanga for contravening Section 45(1) (b) of the Parks and Wildlife Act Chapter 20:14. He pleaded guilty to the offence. Public prosecutor, Mr Brian Madzura told the court that on October 23, at around 10pm police detectives were on patrol in Hanyani Village after they received information that the accused had dagga at his homestead.
“The detectives approached the accused person at his homestead and told him the nature of their enquiries. “The accused permitted a search to be carried out in his bedroom, resulting in the recovery of some dagga which was wrapped in a plastic paper. “During the search detectives came across two python skins. Both the dagga and the python skins were recovered and the accused was subsequently arrested,” he said
Mr Madzura said the recovered items were taken to Zimpost Chipinge to be weighted. “The dagga weighed 300g and the two skins weighed 85g and 30g respectively,” said Mr Madzura. In his defence, the accused said the two python skins were left by her dead mother who used them for traditional purposes.
In sentencing him, Mrs Chipanga said the accused committed a serious offence. “The minimum sentence of this offence is nine years and what is aggravating is that the accused was caught with two skins of a protected reptile,” she said For possessing dagga he was fined $100 or 30 days imprisonment.
Online Reporter