News / Regional
Elephant tusks man gets 20 years behind bars
28 Nov 2015 at 06:26hrs | Views
A 42-year-old Binga has been sentenced to 20 years behind bars after being pleading guilty to illegal
possession of ivory worth $3,650.
According to Chronicle, Samson Mugande from Chininga area under Chief Sinakona was convicted by Binga magistrate Ailene Munamati.
Mugande will, however, serve an effective 14 years after the magistrate conditionally suspended six years for five years.
In his defence, Mugande said: "I picked the tusks in the bush and kept them."
Prosecuting, Bruce Maphosa said police arrested Mugande on Friday last week after getting a tip-off from members of the public.
"Police received a tip-off that somebody was selling elephant tusks. A team of detectives went to his homestead pretending to be buyers and he produced the ivory," said Maphosa.
Mugande, the court heard, was immediately arrested after he failed to produce a licence for the tusks, which weighed 14.6kg.The arrest comes at a time when a security team of police and Parks officers are on an offensive, hunting down poachers in the wake of the devastating use of cyanide in the country's national parks.
More than 70 elephants have been killed since September this year by poachers who poison watering points and salt pans.
According to Chronicle, Samson Mugande from Chininga area under Chief Sinakona was convicted by Binga magistrate Ailene Munamati.
Mugande will, however, serve an effective 14 years after the magistrate conditionally suspended six years for five years.
In his defence, Mugande said: "I picked the tusks in the bush and kept them."
"Police received a tip-off that somebody was selling elephant tusks. A team of detectives went to his homestead pretending to be buyers and he produced the ivory," said Maphosa.
Mugande, the court heard, was immediately arrested after he failed to produce a licence for the tusks, which weighed 14.6kg.The arrest comes at a time when a security team of police and Parks officers are on an offensive, hunting down poachers in the wake of the devastating use of cyanide in the country's national parks.
More than 70 elephants have been killed since September this year by poachers who poison watering points and salt pans.
Source - Chronicle
