Lisa Mlambo
CHIREDZI – Chiredzi duo, Esnath Mutuki (61) and Phanuel Kudiwa (48) recently appeared before Chiredzi Magistrate Misheck Brian Munyarardzi after being found in possession of Crocodile and Zebra skins worth US$19 500.00, TellZim News can report.
They were charged with contravening section 128 of the Parks and Wildlife Act Chapter 20:14 which prohibits the removal of any animal or part of animal from any land or from one place to another on any land without permit.
The two nabbed by the detectives from the Minerals, Fauna and Flora Unit (MFFU) together with ZimParks officials, were remanded out of custody to September 30 2021 for continuation of trial.
The state represented by Tafumanei Homera told the court that Mutuki of House Number 1794 Javangwe Street and Kudiwa (48) of House Number 850 West Road, Chiredzi were arrested on August 06, 2021, by police detectives who pretended to be buyers of hides.
The police officers acting on a tipoff approached Kudiwa who led them to Mutuki’s place of residence where the hides were kept.
It is alleged that after introductions and negotiations Mutuki proceeded to another room where she brought a sack with one Zebra hide.
She was then asked for more and proceeded to another room at the back of the house and brought two sacks which had one Crocodile and five Zebra skins.
That is when the detectives identified themselves leading to the arrest of the accused persons.
