Wildlife officer testifies in pangolin case

RABECCA BANDA writes
@SunZambian
A wildlife park ranger has told the Lusaka magistrates court that he examined a dead pangolin alleged to have been found with the accused persons.
This is in a matter where Levy Shanduka and Loyd Silondo are charged with one count of unlawful possession of protected trophy contrary to the laws of Zambia.
Particulars of the offence before magistrate Nsunge Chanda were that the two did possess one dead pangolin weighing 3.3 kilograms in April 2019 without a certificate of ownership.
Mr. Philimon Kawaya 40 said he has a certificate in wildlife, advanced certificate in nature conservation and has been conducting identification of trophies for two years.
He said it was in April 2019 when he was called by an investigations officer to examine a dead pangolin.
He said he was shown two accused persons alleged to have been apprehended for the subject offence.
He said he was shown the pangolin and explained to the accused persons his role.
He said he put in writing on the certificate of trophies the scientific name of the pangolin and the initials of the accused persons.
He said the pangolin weighed 3.3 kilograms and was valued at K23,428.
Shanduka: Where are the other people we were with during the apprehension?
Mr. Kawaya: I don’t know, I wasn’t the person who arrested you. You were shown to me as the persons alleged to have been found with the pangolin.
Shanduka: Did the pangolin belong to me?
Mr. Kawaya: I don’t know.
Shanduka: who was the owner of the pangolin?
Mr. Kawaya: I don’t know, my role was to examine the pangolin.