Takudzwa Brendon Gwatidzo, 19, a lower six student from Glen View appeared before Harare Magistrate Lazini Ncube facing charges of posession of a protected species without a permit after he was found with the African Fish Eagle, which is believed to be the Zimbabwe Bird. In his defence, Gwatidzo said that he caught the sickly fish eagle and tried to nurse it back to good health and that he had no intention of selling it. He told the court:
It was weak and I could tell it was not an ordinary bird. I then placed it in a cage before I instructed my young brother to give it food and water while I proceeded to Birdlife Zimbabwe.
I was told that I should go to Chivero to see Parks and Wildlife authorities but when I got home police officers and parks officials arrived promptly and arrested me
The bird was valued at $1000. Magistrate Lazini Ncube postponed the case to Tuesday for his ruling
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