Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve, [email protected]
A 61-YEAR-OLD Zambian national has been sentenced to nine years in prison for the illegal possession of 492 grammes of pangolin scales.
Emmanuel Malawo of Libuyu area in Livingstone, Zambia, was convicted of contravening Section 45(1)(b) of the Parks and Wildlife Act, as read with Section 128(1)(b), relating to the unlawful possession of a trophy of a specially protected animal by Victoria Falls magistrate, Ms Fungai Dzimiri.
Prosecuting, Ms Daphney Ntini told the court that on February 6 at around 7PM, Malawo was spotted at Chinotimba Bus Terminus in Victoria Falls carrying pangolin scales without a valid permit.
Acting on a tip-off, detectives from the CID Minerals, Flora and Fauna Unit approached him and asked to search his luggage.
“They recovered 88 pangolin scales weighing 492 grammes, which were tied in a plastic bag inside his bag.
“Malawo failed to produce a permit authorising possession, leading to his arrest,” said Ms Ntini.
She said the recovered scales, with an estimated street value of US$5 000, were submitted for an ecologist’s report, which was produced in court as an exhibit.
Pangolins are classified as specially protected animals in Zimbabwe and are listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites), which prohibits all international commercial trade.
Conservationists have repeatedly warned that pangolins are the world’s most trafficked animals, targeted for their scales, which are illegally traded for use in traditional medicine markets, particularly in Asia.
