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Yeukai Karengezeka Court Correspondent
AN effective nine-year jail sentence will be served by a Harare man who tried to sell 5,2kg of ivory worth US$884 to an undercover police officer.
Anthony Kowe (34) was convicted after a full trial by Harare magistrate Mrs Ruth Moyo.
Prosecutor, Ms Nomsa Kangara proved that on February 19, last year around 11,30am, detectives from CID Minerals Flora and Fauna in Harare heard that Kowe had Ivory in the Hatfield area and was looking for potential buyers.
The detectives went to Hatfield and while one posed as an ivory buyer, the rest of the team stood ready to pounce.
The detective who purported to be the buyer called Kowe and they agreed to meet at Water Works along Chiremba Road, Harare. There Kowe showed the detective his two pieces of raw unmarked ivory, and while negotiations were progressing, the backup team pounced on Kowe.
Kowe tried to flee but halted when one warning shot from an AK rifle was fired in the air. His sack was searched and the two pieces of ivory recovered. Kowe failed when asked to produce any licence or permit which authorised him to possess the ivory, so he was arrested.
The court heard that on February 20 last year, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management confirmed the unmarked raw ivory weighing 5,2kg and was valued at US$884.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter