KEY POINTS

• Muzarabani village head Johannes Mazonde jailed for nine years.

• Police recovered 29 pangolin scales during an undercover operation.

• He was arrested after failing to produce a valid possession permit.

A village head from Muzarabani, Zimbabwe, has been sentenced to nine years in prison after being convicted of unlawfully possessing 29 pangolin scales.

Johannes Mazonde, who serves under Chief Kasekete in Mashonaland Central Province, was arrested during an undercover anti-poaching operation conducted by detectives in Harare.

Harare magistrate Lisa Mutendereki handed him the mandatory nine-year sentence after finding him guilty of possessing the protected wildlife products without a valid permit.

Undercover operation leads to arrest

The court heard that on October 27, 2026, Detective Constable Manzini of the Criminal Investigations Department’s Minerals, Flora and Fauna Unit received intelligence indicating that Mazonde possessed pangolin scales and was looking for potential buyers in Harare.

The detective obtained Mazonde’s telephone number and contacted him while pretending to be interested in purchasing the wildlife products.

The two subsequently arranged to meet at Eastgate Mall in central Harare to complete the proposed transaction.

Detective Constable Manzini then joined forces with Detective Sergeants Kemusi and Mututu, who helped conduct surveillance at the shopping complex ahead of the meeting.

Police recover 29 pangolin scales

At approximately 8:05am, the undercover detective contacted Mazonde and arranged to meet him at the mall’s main entrance.

When Mazonde arrived, the officers approached him, identified themselves using their official police service cards and explained the purpose of their operation.

Detective Sergeant Kemusi then asked him to produce any wildlife products in his possession.

Mazonde reportedly removed a black plastic bag from the left pocket of his blue jacket and handed it to the detectives.

A search uncovered 29 pangolin scales wrapped in two separate black plastic bags.

When asked to produce a valid licence or permit authorising his possession of the items, Mazonde failed to provide one and was immediately arrested.

Wildlife authorities confirm seized scales

Officials from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority were subsequently called to the Criminal Investigations Department offices to examine the recovered items.

They confirmed that the 29 pieces were pangolin scales.

Pangolins are strictly protected under Zimbabwe’s Parks and Wildlife Management Act, which imposes severe custodial penalties for the unlawful possession and trafficking of protected wildlife products.

The mandatory nine-year sentence reflects the legal consequences of possessing the endangered species’ scales without the required authorisation