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Nyore Madzianike–Senior Court Reporter
A ZIMBABWE Parks ranger at Sinamatela Camp in Hwange National Park and a police officer stationed at the Police Support Unit barracks at Chikurubi in Harare were arrested along with another man after they were allegedly caught selling elephant tusks in Greendale.
Simibio Kakomo and Shepherd Musiniwa were taken to the Harare Magistrates Court where they jointly appeared with Enerst Kabanda charged with unlawful possession of elephant tusks.
They were not asked to plead to the charges when they appeared before magistrate Mrs Barbra Mateko, who remanded them in custody to April 20 and told them that only the High Court could grant them bail.
Mr Thomas Chanakira for the State said on Monday at around 7:45am, detectives from CID Minerals, Fauna and Flora Unit Harare were told that the three were selling ivory at Total Service Station along Julius Nyerere Way.
They then pretended to be potential buyers before laying a trap.
The detectives met Kabanda who told them to go Kamfinsa shopping centre in Greendale where Kakomo and Musiniwa were waiting with the ivory. Kamfinsa is along Arturus Road on the way to Chikurubi.
When the detectives and Kabanda arrived at Kamfinsa, Kabanda allegedly contacted Kakomo, who came in the company of Musiniwa to meet the potential buyers. They agreed to sell the ivory for US$50 a kilogramme.
After reaching an agreement, Kakomo and Musiniwa went to a building and brought a greenish sleeping bag which contained the ivory.
The detectives then recovered eight pieces of ivory weighing 28,35kg valued at US$4 819.50, equivalent to $703 574.
Online Reporter