Six appear in court over 94 ivory tusks  

By CHIKUMBI KATEBE

A WITNESS has explained how investigations officers ambushed five men found in possession of loads of elephant tasks at a house in Lusaka.

The state witness told the Lusaka Magistrate Court that following investigations, the wildlife authority managed a stunt in which the detectives disguised themselves to gain access to the premises suspected to have been stocked with alleged contraband.

The witness, whose name has been withheld to avoid exposing them in other on-going investigations, explained that the suspects Gift Miyanda, Mugundumu Miyanda, Mark Mukanya, Babou Awazi Selemani, Malikiso Inambao and Webster Muzyamba were arrested in relation to about 94kg of ivory discovered concealed at a house.

“Whilst at the living-room, Gift Miyanda was warned and cautioned verbally by an officer, then he led the team to one of the bedrooms where the team and I entered the room and found some carton boxes... I saw seven boxes.

“Miyanda was asked to open the boxes and when he opened the boxes, I found some suspected elephant ivory. Gift, and Mugundumu Miyanda were together with us. And we were led to the main bedroom, where I and the team started opening box by box,” they submitted.

They submitted that the house in question had two bedrooms, one kitchen and a living-room.

They explained that in box 1, there were 13 pieces of suspected ivory and in box 2, there were 13 pieces.

The said in box 3 they found 16 pieces with box 4 having 14 pieces, while box 5 had seven pieces; box 6 had 10 and box 7 had 10 pieces.

The court also heard that there were white sacks which had five pieces of suspected ivory and also two polythene papers which contained three pieces of suspected elephant ivory.  “All together the suspected pieces of elephant ivory in total were 94. And one scale was found on top of one of the boxes.”

The court also heard that two women who were found in the house were taken to Chilanga offices for further investigation.

In cross examination, the defence inquired on whether the investigations team was in possession of a search warrant to which the response was in the negative, adding that it was not strange to carry out physical investigations without a warrant.

The defence also inquired on whether the boxes containing the suspected ivory were sealed, and the officer said they were sealed.

The court also heard that the boxes and plastics and sacks found in the suspects house were not named, just numbered. Trial continues on May 12.