Luthando Mapepa Chipinge Correspondent
NYANGA North National Assembly member Hubert Nyanhongo  and three accomplices who were arrested for illegal possession of a pangolin will know their fate on September 6.

Nyanhongo (60), Samuel Samson (42), Misheck Satuku (47) and Positive Mutenda (29), who are facing charges of contravening Section 45 (1) of the Parks and Wildlife Act, Chapter 20:14 of 2001, were recently placed on their defence at the close of the State case.

Chipinge senior magistrate Mr Noah Gwatidzo yesterday adjourned the matter to September 6 to allow both the State and defence to furnish the court with their closing submissions.

Chipinge district prosecutor Mr Last Goredema is expected to file his closing submissions tomorrow, while Nyanhongo’s attorney, Mr Langton Mhungu of Matutu, Kwirira Associates law firm is expected to have responded by August 24.

Both parties advised the court that they will make written submissions.

To bolster their defenced, Nyanhongo and his accomplices had advised the court of their intention to call a Mozambican national, one Kapenga, whom they claimed was the owner of the pangolin.

However, through their attorney, Mr Mhungu, they said they would find it hard to locate Kapenga as he had disappeared when they were arrested at Birchenough Bridge by rangers from the Department of Parks and Wildlife Management.

“Your Worship, the accused persons are insisting that the pangolin owner is in Mozambique. Since the owner of the pangolin ran away from the Department of Parks and Wildlife Management rangers on the day in question, there is no way he will come to testify and exonerate the accused persons,” he said.

Last month, Mr Gwatidzo dismissed an application by Mr Mhungu to throw out the matter as he argued that it lacked essential evidence incriminating the accused persons.

Allegations are that on April 1 at around 4.45pm and at Birchenough Bridge Business Centre, Samuel Gona, a ranger, received a call from Samuel Samson, who is Nyanhongo’s driver, informing him that he was selling a pangolin. They agreed to meet at Birchenough Bridge Business Centre.

Gona alerted his colleagues who hatched a plan to arrest the accused persons.

“Upon arrival at Birchenough Bridge, the four accused persons who were driving a Jeep Cherokee, (registration number AEC4769), white in colour, picked up Gona. They drove away from the business centre to show him the live pangolin.

“The informant, who posed as a buyer, negotiated the price where he agreed to buy the pangolin for $5 000,” said Mr Goredema. They allegedly drove to the business centre intending to collect money. The informant allegedly led them to where his colleagues were waiting.

Nyanhongo and his three accomplices were arrested. A search was conducted and the live pangolin was recovered in a sack on the back seat of the vehicle.

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