TWO Harare men arrested early this year for illegal possession of a lion hide yesterday turned the tables on police detectives, saying they were the actual owners of the hide.
BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE
Admire Chiminyu (38) and Peter Jiwawu (35) told magistrate Nomsa Sabarauta that the hide belonged to the two police officers, who arrested them and the owner of the house where it was recovered from.
The hide is valued at $20 000.
State allegations are that on January 27, detectives from the Minerals and Border Control Unit received information that Chiminyu and Jiwawu were selling a lion hide.
One of the police officers posed as a buyer and met Jiwawu in the city centre and they both went to Chiminyu, who took them to a house in Damofalls, where the lion skin was allegedly being kept.
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On arrival, Jiwawu and Chiminyu jumped out of the police vehicle and collected the hide from the house and later drove to Marimba Park, where the other detectives had laid an ambush.
The State alleges Jiwawu and Chiminyu were immediately arrested after they failed to produce a permit for the hide.
The trial continues on August 11, with Francisca Mukumbiri prosecuting for the State.