Quartet found with 96kg ivory

FOUR suspected poachers were arrested at Cross Dete Business Centre in Hwange District and elephant tusks weighing 96 kilogrammes were recovered from them.

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) rangers and the police who were conducting patrols along the Mabale-Hwange road last Friday at around 9PM busted the syndicate.

Police identified the suspects as Aloius Savanhu (38) of Magoli Village in Dete, Ndaba Ncube (27) and Fanuel Luphahla (34) both of Chezhou village in Dete as well as Inosencia Siwela (42) from Gwabalanda suburb in Bulawayo.

Matabeleland North police spokesperson Chief Inspector Siphiwe Makonese said the quartet was arrested when the patrol team became suspicious and searched two vehicles belonging to the suspects that were parked at the roadside.

Chief Inspector Makonese said the elephant tusks were recovered from the two vehicles.
She said investigations are underway.

ZimParks spokesperson Mr Tinashe Farawo said the fight against poaching will continue to preserve the country’s wildlife.

He warned would be offenders that the law will take its course.

“We are grateful to members of the public for the positive role they continue to play in the fight against crime. We also commend the judiciary for working with us by expeditiously dealing with these cases,” he said.

Zimbabwe’s anti-poaching drive continues to gain traction after the country recovered 1 000 kilogrammes of ivory and 27 rhino horns last year.

Effective patrols by the wildlife protection authority have resulted in a significant decline of poaching activities with figures from last year reflecting a sharp decline of poached elephants from a high of 100 elephants poached annually to below 20 killed.

The country has an estimated elephant population of 84 000.

—@esinathy_essira