Barely a few days after his friend was murdered in cold blood, Nyanga North legislator Hubert Nyanhongo has been attacked and arrested on yet to be proven allegations of possessing a pangolin.

Nyanhongo and three other accomplices have been hauled before a Chipinge magistrate on allegations of dealing in specially protected animals after he was found in possessing of a live pangolin in his Jeep Cherokee Sport Utility Vehicle.

The lawmaker and his alleged accomplices were placed in remand prison after the lower court advised them to apply for bail at the High Court since they are facing a Third Schedule offence.

Nyanhongo (60) was on Saturday arrested by officials from the Parks and Wildlife Department at Birchenough following a tip-off by a Save Conservancy worker who disguised himself as a potential buyer of the endangered animal.

The suspects, who included Samuel Samson (42), Misheck Satuku (47) and Positive Mutenda (29), appeared before Mr Noah Gwatidzo on Monday and were remanded in custody to April 20.

They were charged with contravening Section 45(1) of the Parks and Wildlife Act (Chapter 20:14) as read with Section 128 of General Amendment Number 5. – State Media