HARARE – A 24-year-old Midlands State University (MSU) student has been slapped with a nine-year mandatory jail sentence following his conviction for illegal possession of a pangolin skin.
Munashe Maphosa was convicted after a full trial during which denied the allegations.
He was jointly charged with one Oswell Chingara who has also been convicted of the offence.
Their other alleged accomplice, Vincent Sigauke is still on the run.
Prosecutors proved that the two were caught after detectives from CID Flora and Fauna Unit set a trap to recover the pangolin trophy that was in their possession.
“The three, who were on the hunt for a buyer, made arrangements to meet an undercover detective, CID officer Assistant Inspector Banhi in Harare’s Central Business District,” said Belinda Chimuka, appearing for the NPA.
According to court papers, Banhi and Maphosa met at the corner of First Street and George Silundika Avenue and began negotiating the price before agreeing to sell it for US$6,000.
They then left Banhi standing by the road and went to a nearby store where they retrieved the skin, which was in a suitcase, and came back with it.
Chingara then handed over the suitcase to Sigauke who opened it to show the pangolin skin wrapped in a black and yellow overall.
Once he had confirmation, Banhu then signalled other plain clothed officers who were waiting leading to the arrest of Chingara and Maphosa.
The court also heard that the two were then taken to the police station where they failed to show a permit or licence authorising them to sell the pangolin skin.
Magistrate Ruth Moyo presided over the case.
