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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
A FORESTRY Commission scout who has been evading arrest since December last year when he escaped after being found with two pieces of ivory, has been sentenced to a mandatory nine years in jail.

Justice Zulu (36) of Gwayi Range Farm was a Forestry Commission game scout based at Ngamo Safaris when he committed the offence.

He was convicted after full trial by Hwange magistrate in-charge Mrs Rose Dube.

Zulu, who outpaced an anti-poaching team of police and rangers on December 17 last year when his accomplice Innocent Nyathi was arrested, had pleaded not guilty claiming he was wrongly implicated.

The game scout was arrested recently.

The magistrate found him guilty due to overwhelming evidence and sentenced him to a mandatory nine years in jail for possessing ivory.

His accomplice Nyathi is already serving nine years after being convicted and sentenced on December 19 last year.

Prosecuting, Ms Loveness Maseko said Zulu was arrested at his workplace.

“An anti-poaching team was on patrol on 17 December 2016 when it came across Justice Zulu who was in the company of Innocent Nyathi. The two were carrying sacks and were stopped by police and rangers so they could be searched but they both fled,” said the prosecutor.

The court was told that members of the anti-poaching team gave chase and apprehended Nyathi while Zulu dropped his sack and escaped.

The sack had two pieces of ivory valued at $512.

The anti-poaching team got a tip off that Zulu was at his workplace where he was also reportedly harbouring suspected poachers.

A follow up was made leading to Zulu’s arrest at his workplace recently.

Ms Joyline Change of Ndove, Museta and Partners defended Zulu.

@ncubeleon