Chronicle Editor
Luthando Mapepa Chipinge Correspondent
Nyanga North legislator Hubert Nyanhongo and three accomplices who were arrested for illegal possession of a pangolin were yesterday further remanded to September 15. They were expected to know their fate yesterday, but Chipinge senior magistrate Mr Noah Gwatidzo was reported to be away on circuit in Middle Sabi. Nyanhongo (60), Samuel Samson (42), Misheck Satuku (47) and Positive Mutenda (29) — who are facing charges of contravening Section 45 (1) of the Parks and Wildlife Act, Chapter 20:14 of 2001 — pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Nyanhongo spent three weeks in remand prison following his arrest on allegations of possessing the live pangolin on April 1 this year.
He was granted $200 bail by High Court judge, Justice Priscilla Munangati-Manongwa.
As part of his bail conditions, the legislator was ordered to report once a week at Dzivarasekwa Police Station, surrender his passport to the clerk of court in Chipinge and to reside at his given address until finalisation of the matter.
Allegations are that on April 1 at around 4.45pm and at Birchenough Bridge Business Centre, Samuel Gona, a ranger, received a call from Samuel Samson, who is Nyanhongo’s driver, informing him that he was selling a pangolin.
They agreed to meet at Birchenough Bridge Business Centre.
Gona alerted his colleagues who hatched a plan to arrest the accused persons.
“Upon arrival at Birchenough Bridge, the four accused persons who were driving a Jeep Cherokee, Registration Number AEC4769, white in colour, picked up Gona,” said the prosecutor Mr Last Goredema. “They drove away from the business centre to show him the live pangolin.
“The informant, who posed as a buyer, negotiated the price where he agreed to buy the pangolin for $5 000.”
They allegedly drove to the business centre intending to collect money.
The informant led them to the place where his colleagues were waiting.
Nyanhongo and his three accomplices were then arrested, and a search led to the recovery of the pangolin in a sack on the back seat of the vehicle.
When they appeared in court in July, Mr Gwatidzo ruled that Nyanhongo and his three other accomplices had a case to answer after their attorney, Mr Langton Mhungu of Matutu, Kwirira Associates had applied for discharge at the close of the State case.
In his application, Mr Mhungu cited lack of essential evidence from State witnesses that incriminated the four.
In his ruling, Mr Gwatidzo dismissed the defence’s application, arguing that State witnesses gave corroborating evidence which showed that a live pangolin was recovered from Nyanhongo’s vehicle.
In his defence, Nyanhongo, pleaded with the court to look for another witness before the conclusion of the matter.
He said the court should give him and his accomplices an opportunity to call one Kapenga, a Mozambican national whom they claimed to be the owner of the pangolin.
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