TWO men from Dete in Matabeleland North province were on Friday convicted for illegal possession of ivory after they killed five elephants using cyanide-poisoned oranges.
BY OWN CORRESPONDENT
The suspects, David Ndlovu (42) and Nkathazo Penga (33), who were arrested on July 4 this year appeared recently before Hwange regional magistrate, Portia Mhlanga.
The court heard that the two were in the business of selling ivory and cyanide poison at Dete Shopping Centre and were arrested after rangers from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority posed as potential clients.
Ndlovu produced three pieces of raw ivory going and demanded $1 000 for each and two kilogrammes of cyanide, leading to his arrest.
He later implicated Penga, who was also arrested.
In their defence, the two initially claimed that they had picked the ivory and cyanide in the Forestry Area while picking firewood.
Munsaka remanded them in custody to tomorrow for sentence.
