Man found with 16kg ivory jailed 10years

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A TSHOLOTSHO village head has been slapped with an effective 10-year term for illegal possession of 16,8kg of ivory.

A TSHOLOTSHO village head has been slapped with an effective 10-year term for illegal possession of 16,8kg of ivory.

By SILAS NKALA

Streck Vundla’s lawyer Kholwani Ngwenya told Southern Eye yesterday that his client was recently convicted and sentenced to 10 years by a Hwange magistrate.

“The village head was convicted and jailed for 10 years after the court indicated that there was overwhelming evidence that he was found in possession of ivory,” Ngwenya said.

Elephant tusks stored in secured ivory piles, Kruger National Park, South Africa

Vundla, who was initially being charged alongside Blessing Tshaba and Madlakadlaka Ncube, who were acquitted due to lack of evidence, had initially denied the charge when he appeared before Hwange magistrate Lindiwe Maphosa.

Vundla was arrested on March 7 after he was found in possession of 16,8kg of ivory in the Mataka area.

The State relied on evidence supplied by a 14-year-old boy.