Chronicle Editor
Thupeyo Muleya, [email protected]
A 37-YEAR-OLD man from Beitbridge has been arrested for smuggling 17 exotic pigeons worth US$3 400 into Zimbabwe through an illegal entry point along the Limpopo River.
Peter Ncube, a resident of Dulivhadzimu suburb, was intercepted by security agents while crossing the river on a wooden raft near the ZimParks compound, which is located about four kilometres west of the Beitbridge Border Post.
The use of inflatable boats and wooden rafts is common at illegal crossing points along the Limpopo River, particularly during the rainy season. Security officials from both Zimbabwe and South Africa frequently intercept and destroy these makeshift vessels to curb smuggling or illegally crossing the border.
Ncube has been charged with contravening sections of the Parks and Wildlife Act and the Customs and Excise Act.
He denied the charges when he appeared before Beitbridge Magistrate, Ms Annia Chimweta yesterday.
He was remanded in custody to January 8. The court heard that Ncube was found in possession of six Homer pigeons, four Indian fantail pigeons, three Lahore pigeons and four Modena pigeons.
The prosecutor, Mr Tawanda Chigavazira told the court that on December 22, at around 11pm, detectives from the Minerals, Flora and Fauna Unit (MFFU), along with ZimParks rangers, were conducting a security patrol along the Limpopo River.
They received a tip-off that Ncube intended to smuggle the exotic birds from South Africa. Acting on this information, the team set up an ambush along the route he was expected to use.
“At about 11.30 pm, Ncube was spotted crossing the river from South Africa.
“He was apprehended upon reaching the Zimbabwean side and the pigeons were confiscated,” said Mr Chigavazira.
In 2015, three South African nationals, Edwin Hewitt, Hedrick Blignaut and John Herbert Pretorius were arrested along the same river while attempting to smuggle 29 sables worth US$435 000 into the neighbouring country.
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