Four men have recently appeared at the Masvingo Magistrates Court facing serious charges related to the illegal possession of a pangolin, a species known for its high value on the black market.
The four individuals charged are Silvanos Makuto (44) and Edmond Muchakata (40), both residents of Village 7A under Chief Budzi in Bikita, Willias Tongei (38) from Munorweyi Village under Chief Nyashanu in Buhera, and Brian Njerere (30), a resident of Highfield in Harare.
According to court documents, the incident unfolded on August 13 when officers from the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority received a tip-off regarding the illegal activities of the accused.
They were reportedly in possession of a live pangolin and were actively seeking buyers for this endangered species.
In a clever operation, the Parks and Wildlife officials collaborated with police officers to pose as prospective buyers.
They arranged a meeting with the accused at the Nehanda Business Centre in Bikita, where they planned to finalize the transaction. During the meeting, the accused presented a brown sack, which they had claimed contained a live pangolin.
Upon inspection, the officers discovered that the sack contained a 6.5 kg live pangolin. Recognizing the significance of the finding, the officers proceeded to arrest the individuals on the spot, effectively confiscating the pangolin and preventing it from being sold into the illegal wildlife trade.
The seized pangolin was valued at approximately US$5,000, indicating the high demand and lucrative nature of the illegal wildlife market.
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