The cop, Bhekhitemba Mathe, and two others – Thando Mpala
and Talent Ganya – were not asked to plead when they appeared before Harare
magistrate Yeukai Dzuda, who remanded them in custody, to May 20.
Allegations are that on May 4, police received information
that the trio was in possession of ivory in Warren Park and was looking for
buyers.
They were allegedly given Ganya’s phone number.
It is the State’s case that two of the detectives, who were
seized with the matter, called Ganya and posed as buyers.
They agreed to meet in the CDB, along Harare Street, and
Ganya led the police officers to Warren Park while the other detectives
followed in another vehicle as back up.
In Warren Park, it is alleged Ganya called Mathe, who came
with Mpala, and they agreed to sell the ivory at US$80 per kg.
They instructed the team to drive to Westwood Street in
Warren Park for easy transportation because the ivory was heavy.
Mathe and Mpala allegedly went to their house and came back
with a car and asked the police officers to view and weigh the ivory.
The court heard that upon sight of the ivory, the police
signaled to their back-up team.
The police identified themselves as detectives from CID
Flora and Fauna Unit and ordered the trio to produce their permits, which
allowed them to sell ivory.
When they failed to produce the permits, the three were
arrested.
Ivory, worth $1 065 339, was recovered. Investigations
revealed that Mpala was the one who brought the ivory from Bulawayo.
He got it from Mthulisi Moyo, who is still at large, and he
engaged his accomplices to look for buyers, in Harare.
Anesu Chirenje appeared for the state. H Metro
0 comments:
Post a Comment