A Zimbabwean woman, Nokuthula Sithembile Khumalo, has been sentenced to four years in prison and fined P20,000 for the illegal possession of an elephant tusk in Botswana. The 37-year-old resident of Plumtree, Matabeleland South, was apprehended on June 29 at Nswazwi Mall, where she was found with the tusk hidden in a bag.
Khumalo was accompanied by her nephew, Gilbert Tasiiwa, during the incident. Tasiiwa was also arrested but later released after it was established that he did not know the tusk; he had only met Khumalo at the mall to purchase shoes and had agreed to help her carry a bag. According to court proceedings, police officers stopped Khumalo and Tasiiwa and searched a blue bag, which revealed a 12.5 kg sack of maize meal containing the tusk wrapped in multiple layers of cloth. Khumalo claimed that she had found the tusk in Plumtree and asked her nephew to assist her in carrying it.
The tusk was subsequently sent to the Bureau of Standards for examination, where it was determined to weigh 5.3 kg. During her court appearance, Khumalo pleaded for leniency, emphasizing that she was a first-time offender and expressing remorse for her actions. “I am asking for forgiveness; this is my first time clashing with the law, and I will never do it again,” she stated.
Despite her pleas, the court dismissed her request for leniency. The judge imposed a fine of P20,000 and a four-year prison sentence, underscoring the serious nature of wildlife trafficking and illegal possession of protected animal products in the region. This case highlights the ongoing challenges of wildlife conservation and the strict legal frameworks in place to combat illegal poaching and trafficking in Botswana and beyond.
In other news – Surge in diarrhoea cases in Zimbabwe: 8,399 reported with five deaths
In the week ending October 6, 2024, Zimbabwe recorded a concerning total of 8,399 cases of common diarrhea, resulting in five deaths, according to the Ministry of Health and Child Care. Among the reported cases, 3,798 involved children under the age of five, highlighting a significant health crisis affecting the youngest population.
The Ministry’s surveillance report noted that the fatalities occurred in Harare, with four deaths attributed to Sally Mugabe Central Hospital and Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, and one death reported in Chegutu. Read More
