Woman caught with ivory

Paidamoyo Bore

A HARARE woman appeared in court yesterday facing charges of unlawful possession of unmarked raw ivory worth US$901.

Gilda Chaziva (38) of Kuwadzana Phase 3, was not asked to plead when she appeared before  magistrate Dennis Mangosi.

Chaziva was advised to approach the High Court for bail application.

She will be back in court on November 14.

Allegations are that on October 31, detectives from the Minerals Flora and Fauna Unit received information that a woman was looking for a potential buyer of raw ivory.

It is the State’s case that on the same day, detectives found Chaziva’s phone number and started to communicate with her.

The court heard that Chaziva directed the detectives to Westgate Shopping Centre where she was.

It is alleged that when the detectives met Chaziva, she showed them a white sack, with two elephant tusks, wrapped in sheets in a nearby bush.

Chaziva was subsequently arrested.

Pardon Dziva appeared for the State.