By Omotayo Edubi
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) ranger and a police officer are in trouble after being caught in possession of 28kgs of ivory worth ZW$703 574.
Simibio Kakomo (38), Shepherd Musiniwa (31) were jointly charged with Ernest Kabanda (44), an ex-cop.
Kakomo is employed as a ranger at Hwange National Parks while Musiniwa is a police officer stationed at Chikurubi Police camp, Harare.
They appeared before Magistrate Babra Mateko Wednesday and were not asked to plead.
The magistrate remanded them in custody to April 20 after advising them to seek bail at the High Court.
According to court papers, the trio were caught on April 4 2022 at Kamfinsa Shopping Centre after detectives from CID MFFU Harare received information that there were three male adults who were in possession of elephant tasks and were looking for potential buyers.
The court heard that the detectives contacted Kabanda whom they met at Total Service Station, Julius Nyerere Way.
After meeting with Kabanda, they proceeded to Kamfinsa Shopping Centre to meet with his partners and make arrangements for the transaction, posing as potential buyers.
Upon arrival at the shopping centre with all parties involved, negotiations were made and an agreement was reached to sell the ivory for US$50 per kilogram.
When the negotiations were done, two of the accused allegedly vanished behind the nearby buildings and they returned with a big bag containing the ivory.
The detectives then introduced themselves to the trio which led to their arrest.
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