BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE
RANGANAI Kande, a cleric with the Apostle Movement Advent Mission yesterday appeared before a Harare magistrate for illegal possession of ivory.
Kande (37) appeared before magistrate Shane Kubonera together with accomplices, Judah Madamombe (34) and Tatenda Marufu (29). The trio was remanded in custody to August 26.
The State alleges that on Monday at around 8am, detectives from the Minerals, Flora and Fauna, Harare, received a tip-off that the trio was at Glen Norah B shopping centre looking for buyers. One detective posed as a buyer and lured Madamombe to his vehicle at Glen Norah 1 High School.
Madamombe led the detective to Glen Norah B New Stands where they met Kande and a price of US$14 000 was agreed.
After the agreement, Madamombe then called Marufu to bring the ivory from a nearby bush. Detectives then arrested the trio after they failed to produce a licence or permit.
The recovered unmarked raw ivory was weighed and valued by Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management officials at $103 000.
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