By Simbarashe Sithole
A 60-YEAR-OLD Mushumbi man, who was facing five counts of illegal possession of lion claws, pangolin scales, a hippopotamus tooth, ivory and a small spotted genet’s tail, all valued at $31 025, was last week jailed to an effective 18 years and fined $300.
Guruve resident magistrate Shingirai Mutiro imprisoned Shake Mafuka for possession of lion claws and pangolin scales, and fined him $300 for possessing the hippopotamus tooth, ivory and genet’s tail or an additional three months if he failed to pay.
Prosecutor Carson Kundiona told the court that on December 11 last year, members of the anti-poaching conservancy received a tip-off that Mafuka was in possession of the trophies.
The following day, the team went to Nyadzomba village purporting to be buyers, where Mafuka showed them his loot, before he was arrested.
The trophies were confiscated and presented in court as evidence.
