Vusumuzi Dube
Wilbrought Ndlovu, Sunday News Reporter
THREE man from Lupane were arrested for being in possession of ivory that they were transporting from Lupane to Bulawayo in order to sell it.
The total value of ivory was $4480.
Bulawayo spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the arrest of Jabulani Dube (41), Dedani Sibanda (33) and Dumisani Tshuma (30) who were found in possession of two sacks with elephant tusks intending to sell them in Bulawayo.
“The police received information on 19 January 2024 around 7pm to the effect that the accused persons were in possession of elephant tusks in Lupane and wanted to transport them to Bulawayo where they intended to sell them.
“On 20 January 2024 at around 5am the police proceeded to Umguza tollgate where the accused persons were supposed to meet with the intended buyer. They spotted the accused persons disembarking from a truck carrying two sacks with ivory inside it,” he said.
He further said that the truck where the accused persons disembarked from was coming from Hwange going to Bulawayo when the police approached it at the tollgate.
“The detectives approached the accused persons who were now standing by the side of the road and introduced themselves. The police detectives then requested to search the accused persons and their two 50 kilograms sacks. They then recovered five pieces of unmarked raw ivory in one of the sacks and seven pieces of unmarked Ivory on the other sack.
“The accused persons were asked to produce a license or a permit authorising them to be in possession of the raw unmarked ivory and they failed to produce it leading to their arrest. The ivory weighed 64 kilograms valued at US$4 480,” he said.
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