MULENGA MUSONDA writes
TWO men have appeared in the Choma Magistrates Court on a charge of unlawful possession of a pangolin which they have denied.
This is in a case in which Peter Shimunza, 43 farmer of Nega Nega and Alvin Chiyanda 37 of Muzoka area in Choma stand charged with one count of unlawful possession of protected animal contrary to section 30(1 )of the Wildlife Act No.14 of 2015 of the Laws of Zambia as read together with statutory instrument No.42 of 2016.
Particulars of the offence are that on July 10 in Choma, Shimunza and Chiyanda while acting together had a live Pangolin without a certificate of ownership from government.
When the matter came up for trial before Resident Magistrate Ethel Phiri the two denied the charge but trial could not take off because witnesses were not before the court.
The matter has since been adjourned to August 30 for trial while police bond for the two men has been extended.
Pangolins are hunted and traded for their meat, scales, and other body parts, and used as traditional medicines in many parts of Africa and Asia.