A Harare man was yesterday slapped with a 9 year jail term for possessing a dead pangolin.
Henry Makunde, who was caught with a dead pangolin in his refrigerator was sent to jail after Harare magistrate Tendai Mahwe found him guilty.
The court heard that on 22 January 2016, Makunde together with his nephew Desire Murire and his tenant Dingani Dhliwayo were arrested by the police for possessing a pangolin.
Desire Murire,19 who is said to have brought the pangolin form Chipinge was sentenced to two years because of his age.
Dhliwayo was discharged as he had connection to the case.
The arrest followed tip off to the police by an unnamed source leading to the repatriation of the pangolin which was later surrendered to Zimparks.
Upon mitigation, defence council pleaded with the judge that the accused is a family man who supports his family.
He also pleaded for mercy and said the accused has already lost his job and he has high blood pressure.
However, in his ruling magistrate Mahwe slapped Makunde with 9 years saying that buying and selling pangolin is illegal and a very serious offence.
