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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
A 28-YEAR-OLD Gweru man has been jailed for nine years for possession of a fake rhino horn that he intended to smuggle into South Africa. Berlin Chenje Mabika of Mambo suburb in Gweru, was nabbed on Tuesday afternoon in Beitbridge as he was trying to sell the fake horn to a Zimbabwean man based in Musina, South Africa.

He was convicted on his own plea of guilty when he appeared before Ms Gloria Takundwa last Friday charged with possession of a trophy of specially protected animals.

The fake horn was forfeited to the State as part of the sentence.
Prosecutor, Mr Jabulani Mberesi, said sometime this month Mabika illegally procured a fake rhino horn though he genuinely believed it to be the real artefact and intended to dispose of it in Musina.

He said Mabika then contacted one Stephen Sibanda, a Zimbabwean based in South Africa who had an interest in buying the horn.
The two then agreed to meet in Beitbridge to conclude the transaction. Mabika ran out of luck when police detectives from the Border Control Unit pounced before he could conclude the transaction.