Shrine keeper escapes punishment
By OLIVER SAMBOKO. A COURT in Zimbabwe's Resort Town of Kariba has discharged a Shrine Keeper who was arrested by wildlife authorities for being found with a Pangolin and other trophies.
The spirit medium was discharged after the State failed to prove its case against the accused who was facing seven counts related to wildlife.
Charles Chidzombo, a resident of Kawara village in Chief Musambakaruma was arrested on July 28 by detectives from the Zimbabwe Republican Police Minerals Border Control Unit and Wildlife Management.
Facts before the court were that on July 28, 2017, at around 10.30 hours, detectives from Police Minerals Border Control Unit and Wildlife Management, received a tip that Chidzombo was in possession of a Pangolin contrary to the National Parks Act.
Detective Constable Mbakada of ZRP and two others Matuka and Mashingaidze of Wildlife Management Authority of Zimbabwe then went to Chidzombo's homestead at Kawara village and upon their arrival, the officers pretended that they were potential buyers for the Pangolin and later arrested the Shrine keeper.
The officers recovered Pangolin scales and other items from the accused before slapping him with seven charges, ranging from possession to illegal removal of wildlife products from one place to another, namely, Pangolin, porcupine tarts, Buffalo tail, garnet cat skin, elephant tail, kudu horns and tail in contravention of section 59 (2S) as read with section 59 (5) of the Parks and Wildlife Act, of which the accused denied.
In his defense, Chidzombo told the Kariba Magistrate that he was a spirit medium who was working under instructions for the spirits and that the items found on him by officers, were not his but belongs to the ancestoral spirits under the custody of the chief. Chidzombo pointed out that everything that he does falls under the influence of spiritual mediums and chiefs of the land. Chidzombo claimed that his homestead is visited by several people including Government officials seeking help.
He denied ownership of the Pangolin and all the other trophies of wildlife.