Safe keeping elephant tasks ruins man’s life
A MAN walked into Sunday News offices and narrated his ordeal of how he had been allegedly wrongfully arrested for being in possession of elephant tusks.
Nehemiah Mafu from Tsholotsho in Matabeleland North claimed he was allegedly arrested for possessing elephant tusks after he and a fellow villager identified as Sibanda recovered two horns from a dead elephant which were still intact with carcass while they waited for the relevant authorities to take action.
“A young man from my area informed me that he had seen a carcass of an elephant with its horns still intact, he asked me to tell Sibanda who is his father and I proceeded to do as I had been asked. Sibanda then asked me to accompany him to the village head to report the matter. The village head advised us that he would make a police report but pleaded with us to take the horns and keep them safely before a poacher finds them,” said Mafu in his defence.
Mafu claims to have only followed an instruction which came back to haunt him weeks later. When the police were alerted of the matter, they arrested Sibanda and Mafu for illegal possession of elephant tusks. Mafu continued saying, “I was shocked because I had only acted on an instruction I had been given. We were released a few days after our arrest as the police said that there was no evidence that we killed the animal and intended to keep the horns for good. A few months later a police car came to collect us again. But again, we were released later.” But their new found freedom did not last as Mafu said that they found themselves back in the holding cells a few months later. “This time a docket was produced but we had not written down any statements. It read that we were admitting to the charge but the presiding magistrate pointed out there was not enough evidence and the court would only proceed after talking to witnesses in the matter. “We are waiting for summons to be sent if we are to go to trial. We are confused and the matter is troubling us. I do not know if I am a free man as I live in constant fear of being arrested again,” concluded Mafu. Matabeleland North police could not be reached for comment on the matter.