Yeukai Karengezeka — A man from Masvingo who was found in possession of five dried lion heads worth US$100 000, appeared in court yesterday charged with contravening the Parks and Wildlife Act.

Prosecuting, Ms Berlinda Chimuka alleged that on Saturday morning at around 9am, detectives from CID Minerals, Flora and Fauna Unit in Harare heard that Patson Ndlovu (32) and his accomplices were in possession of five dried lion heads and were looking for a potential buyer at the corner of Mazowe Street and Herbert Ushewokunze Avenue, Harare.

So they went out to have a look, pretending to be potential buyers.

Ndlovu and his accomplice climbed into the parked car the detectives were using and they drove towards Mazowe Street, parking outside Mazowe Mansions where Ndlovu was operating.

Ndlovu and his accomplice went to the Mazoe Mansions flat and came out with a blue and purple bag and he placed it in the loading bed of the pick-up truck and they together entered inside the motor vehicle.

The other team of detectives approached them and asked Ndlovu to produce any permit or licence authorising him to remove any animal or any part of an animal from the land or from one place to another.

Ndlovu had no papers and the accomplices ran away. But Ndlovu was arrested and the five lion heads seized.

The Parks and Wildlife Management Authority official assayed the recovered lion heads that are worth US$100 000.