Jailed pangolin trio granted bail

A MASVINGO teacher and two accomplices who were jailed nine years after being found in possession of a pangolin they tried to sell for $5 000 have been granted bail pending appeal.

Brighton Ngwenya, a teacher at Mushandike High School, along with Tatenda Mhango and Kudzai Shava, both from Mushandike Resettlement Area, were jailed by Masvingo magistrate Mr Peter Madhibha last week.

They applied for bail pending trial which was granted on condition they pay $100 and to report at the Masvingo Rural Police Station once a fortnight.

The trio, through their defence counsel Ms Yolanda Chandata of Muzenda and Partner, have applied for a notice of appeal to the Masvingo High Court against conviction and sentence, requesting the State to revisit the law to verify if a pangolin has a mandatory sentence.

Prosecutor Mr Fidelis Nyamukondiwa said on April 11, 2016, police in Masvingo received a tip-off that the trio was selling a pangolin and they proceeded to Bhuka Business Centre near Mushandike.

On arrival, they called the convicts while posing as prospective buyers.

Ngwenyama and his accomplice brought the pangolin to the detectives and told them they were selling it for $5 000. The detectives then ordered them to put the pangolin in the boot of their car while they were processing the payment.

Other detectives who were watching from a distance then pounced on the convicts and identified themselves.

Shava tried to flee, but was shot on the leg.