A 43-year-old Harare man has been jailed for nine years after he was caught attempting to sell more than 29 kilogrammes of illegal ivory in the Mushumbi Pools area.
In a statement, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said Amos Tambaoga Chidembo was convicted at the Guruve Magistrates’ Court for unlawful possession of unregistered and unmarked ivory, a serious offence under the Parks and Wildlife Act.
The case dates back to 4 February 2024, when detectives from the CID Minerals, Flora and Fauna Unit in Bindura received information that two men were offering ivory for sale in the area.
In a joint operation with the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, officers posed as buyers and arranged a meeting with Chidembo at Katumba Village in the Shange area.
Chidembo arrived with an accomplice, Tonderai Zhangazha, carrying a white sack. Under a bridge along the Mushumbi–Kanongo Road, the pair produced two pieces of ivory and got into the officers’ vehicle, where they began negotiating a price of US$70 per kilogram.
Once the ivory was displayed, detectives identified themselves and demanded to see permits authorising its possession. None were provided, leading to Chidembo’s immediate arrest.
Zhangazha’s status was not confirmed in the statement from the NPA.
The ivory was later weighed at Guruve ZimPost in Chidembo’s presence. The two pieces came in at 14.93kg and 14.31kg, with a combined value of US$4,970.80.
Investigators also seized Chidembo’s iTel 2163 mobile phone. A digital forensic examination by the CID Cyber Laboratory uncovered incriminating text messages confirming his involvement in ivory trafficking.
The NPA said wildlife crimes continue to threaten conservation efforts and fuel organised criminal activity. It reiterated Zimbabwe’s zero-tolerance approach to poaching and the illegal wildlife trade.
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