Josam Mumpande (62) and Anthony Kasiriworo (48) were convicted and sentenced to 9 years on Tuesday by Bulawayo magistrate Franklin Mkhwananzi, despite their plea of not guilty to contravening sections of the Parks and Wildlife Act.
The court heard that on October 27 this year, detectives from Minerals and Border Control Unit received a tip off that the duo was carrying a pangolin in their car. Police intercepted the vehicle near Hillside Dam and recovered the pangolin weighing 5kg and valued at $5 000.
The pangolin was surrendered to the State. Researchers have discovered that pangolin smuggling has increased in tandem with China’s expanding middle class and the Asian country’s growing presence in Africa.
More: NewsDay
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