Dangamvura Men Nabbed With 2 Live Pangolins

Court Reporter

Two Dangamvura men were nabbed by alert detectives from the Minerals Flora and Fauna unit in Mutare while in possession of two live pangolins.

Kelvin Nyamapfeni (39) of 323 Area 3 Dangamvura and Cuthbert Makotore (30) a soldier stationed at 3.1 Combat Group residing at 75 Area 7 in Dangamvura were charged for Contravening Section 45 as read with Section 128 of the Parks and Wildlife Chapter 20:14 as read with Section 2 of the Statutory Instrument 71 of 2020;- “Keep, have in possession or sell or otherwise dispose of any live specially protected animals product thereof…”

The duo ran out of lady luck while trying to trade the specially protected specie for the greenback.

The two accused persons were arraigned before Mutare senior magistrate Tendai Mahwe yesterday (Monday) and Makotore was remanded in custody.

The court heard that on 10th September 2020 detectives from Mutare Minerals Flora and Fauna Unit received a tip of to the effect that the accused persons were illegally in possession of two live pangolins.

“A team of police detectives was set up and two motor vehicles were mobilised. Detectives Livison Chada and Mashange disguised as buyers and were using a Toyota Mark X while detectives Hove and Kurauone were using a Toyota bubble and drive the two motor vehicles to Dangamvura Area 7 where they were going to meet the accused persons whilst the other team was following in a Toyota bubble from a distance,” read prosecutor Brian Goto.

Makotore came to Chada’s motor vehicle and indicated that he was the owner of the pangolins which he was selling at a whopping US$10 000.00

The detectives requested to view the pangolins first before they could part with their money and Makotore briefly went away promising to meet the detectives at Dangamvura Greenmarket with the two live pangolins.

Makotore and Nyamapfeni then arrived a little later at Dangamvura Greenmarket in a Mazda B2200 registration number ACV 6217 that Nyamapfeni was driving.

Makotore who was seated on the passenger seat upon arrival at Greenmarket disembarked from the front passenger seat while the detectives who were masquerading as buyers also parked their vehicle by the side.

“Detective Chada disembarked from the motor vehicle identifying himself to the accused persons and advised the accused persons the nature of their inquiry. Both accused persons started running away in different directions but they were arrested. The accused two (Nyamapfeni) was searched and two live pangolins were recovered from the front of the motor vehicle. One was in a floral bag on the passenger seat and the other was on the floor of the passenger side of the motor vehicle,” added Goto.

The two live pangolins were recovered as exhibits and weighed 9kg.

The accused persons are being represented by Farai Matinhure of Gonese and Ndlovu Associates and will be back in court next week Tuesday for continuation of trial.

The value of the pangolins is US$10 000 and all was recovered.