Two Zimbabwean men have been remanded in custody after they were found in possession of a live pangolin.
The duo, 43-year-old Kelvin Maposa and Matitshidza Sibanda, 33, were busted at their rented house in Francistown’s Coloured location, following a police tip-off.
Adding to their troubles, the two men who were frog marched to the police van under the gazes of curious neighbours, also happened to be illegal immigrants.
It emerged they border jumped into Botswana on the 19th of July near Maitengwe village.
They were immediately whisked away to the police station for questioning where they were locked up and taken to court on Monday afternoon.
In court, the two charged for capturing a protected game animal and entering Botswana through an ungazetted poin.
They quickly admitted to being in the country illegally but a plea for the pangolin possession was reserved.
Maposa pleaded with court to be lenient with him when sentencing him for entering Botswana illegally as he said he was forced by poverty. “Life is difficulty in Zimbabwe, and we decided to come to Botswana to look for jobs,” he said.
Similarly, Sibanda also told court he came to Botswana because of hunger in his country.
“For entering the country through an ungazetted point of entry, the accused persons are sentenced to 36 months of which 24 months is wholly suspended and the accused will serve 12 months,” ruled Magistrate Tshepo Magetse.
A pangolin is the most trafficked mammal in the world and it is said to be in high demand in southern China and Vietnam because their scales are believed to have medicinal properties in traditional Chinese and Vietnamese medicine. Their meat is also considered a delicacy.
