Chronicle Editor
Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Court Reporter
A BULAWAYO man who was on Christmas Day arrested for unlawful possession of two live pangolins and stolen copper cables has approached the High Court seeking bail pending trial.
Welcome Moyo (21) of Mpopoma suburb was arrested after detectives received a tip off from members of the public.
On searching the house, detectives found two pangolins weighing 4kg and 10kg respectively with a combined value of $10 000 and 4kg of copper cables belonging to the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC).
A pangolin is an endangered protected species whose live value is $5 000 and illegal possession of it attracts a mandatory nine year jail sentence.
Moyo, through his lawyers Samp Mlaudzi and Partners, filed an application for bail pending trial at the Bulawayo High Court citing the State as a respondent.
Moyo, who is on remand at Khami Prison, is facing charges of contravening sections of the Parks and Wildlife Act, the Electricity Act and Copper Control Act.
He is denying all the charges, arguing that he did not know the existence of the pangolins until Christmas Day when detectives came and searched his house.
He said the pangolins were found from one of the rooms used by one Takundwa Marashi, a co-tenant.
He said the copper cables belonged to Marashi who had asked him to keep them.
“The applicant denies the allegations and he avers that some time ago his co-tenant came home carrying two bags and asked him to keep them because his room had run out of space. The applicant agreed to keep the bags out of goodwill not knowing that the bags contained copper cables,” said Moyo’s lawyers.
Moyo said he was not a flight risk, arguing that if granted bail he would not abscond.
“The applicant is a suitable candidate for bail and there are no compelling reasons to deny him bail. The likelihood of committing similar offences are dim, there is no propensity since the accused person has no previous convictions. In the event that the court, in its discretion, considers that the applicant is a good candidate for bail, he offers to deposit $100 bail as security to his recognisance and to reside at his given address until the matter is finalised,” said Moyo’s lawyers.
The State has not yet responded to Moyo’s application.
According to court papers, on Christmas Day last year at around 9PM, detectives from Bulawayo’s CID Minerals Flora and Fauna Unit received information that Moyo was in possession of two live pangolins at his house.
They went to his house and upon conducting a search at one of his spare bedrooms found two pangolins hidden inside containers.
Moyo was asked to produce a permit authorising him to keep the animals and he failed leading to his arrest.
Detectives also recovered two bags containing 4kg of copper cables hidden in the same room.
The copper cables valued at $48 belonged to ZETDC.
— @mashnets.
Online Reporter