Another businessman arrested over cyanide

POLICE have arrested a manager of a Harare based chemical substances supply company for allegedly illegally storing sodium cyanide and is suspected to have been supplying the poaching syndicate that has been using the chemical to poison elephants at the Hwange National Park.

Elvis Ncube, (30) of Number 11 Frederick Booth Road, Hillside in Harare is the human resources manager for Servcor Zimbabwe Private Limited Company, situated at Number 47 Plymouth Road, Southerton.

He was arrested following an investigation by a team comprising detectives, officers from the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and the Environmental Management Agency (EMA).

The investigation team had been assigned to trace the origins of the cyanide which was being laced into watering points in the Hwange National Park allegedly by poachers resulting in the death of more than 90 jumbos and other animals.

Findings were that between October and November last year, Ncube allegedly acquired three tonnes of sodium cyanide and stored it at his place of residence.

He allegedly sold the chemical to different unnamed individuals who were not licenced to deal in cyanide, a classified hazardous chemical in terms of the country's laws.

It was however, not indicated whether the individuals he supplied were linked to the poaching syndicate.

Ncube appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Ms Gladmore Mushove yesterday to answer to a charge of contravening Section 137(1)(g)(2) of the Environmental Management Act, Chapter 20:27, which prohibits storage of hazardous substances at unlicenced premises.

He was not asked to plead to the charges and was remanded out of custody to 16 October on $100 bail.

As part of his bail conditions, Ncube was ordered to report once every week on Fridays at Cranbone Police Station in Harare, to reside at his given address and not to interfere with witnesses.

Ms Caroline Matanga is representing the State.