The Sunday News
Limpret Moyo, Sunday News Reporter
TWO Bulawayo men were arrested and brought before the courts after they were found in possession of 13,2kg of ivory valued at more than $2 000.
The duo, Webster Nyaruviro (49) from Nkulumane and Max Bloomton (46) from Cowdray Park suburb were arrested at Bradfield Shopping Centre in Bulawayo at the end of last year following a tip-off.
They were searched and found in possession of 13,2kg of ivory valued $2 210 stashed inside the spare wheel compartment in the boot of a car they were travelling in.
They were dragged to court last week where they both pleaded not guilty to the charge when they appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Mr Joseph Mabeza.
Mr Mabeza remanded them in custody to Wednesday this week for continuation of trial.
In his defence, Nyaruviro said he was not aware of the ivory in the boot. He said he was a pirate taxi driver and on that particular day he was carrying passengers who had put luggage in the boot.
Bloomton said he was one of the passengers in Nyaruviro’s car and was on his way to Hillside suburb to collect medication. He said there was another passenger in the car who was making phone calls and giving directions to the person he was talking to and they suspect he was the owner of the illegal parcel that was found in the car they were in.
He told the court that he was puzzled when he was arrested as he disembarked from the taxi at Hillside.
He said a car with a South African registration number pulled off the road and parked behind them.
For the State, Mr Tinashe Dzipe alleged that Nyaruviro and Bloomton were arrested by police officers sometime last year.
“Police officers from Minerals and Border Control Unit received information to the effect that there was a Nissan Tilda parked at Bradfield Shopping Centre with two people on board who were in possession of ivory. They followed the vehicle along Hillside Road and approached the occupants of the car. They identified themselves and conducted a search of the vehicle where ivory was discovered hidden inside the spare wheel compartment,” said the prosecutor as he presented the State’s case.
