Congolese pastor had live pangolin, court told

A WITNESS has identified Congolese pastor Nawejhi Zachary Ivambi, 46 of Chamba Valley as the one who was in possession of a live pangolin at East Park Mall in Lusaka.

Mr Likonde submitted at commencement of his testimony that first accused in the matter, Maxwell Ilunga Chikonka admitted guilty to the charge of possession of a live pangolin weighing 13.5kg, and upon his own admission, ilunga was a convict serving a five-yeas jail sentence

Andrew Likonde, 39, a wildlife superintendent in the department of wildlife and fisheries in Chilanga, testified before Lusaka Chief resident magistrate Nthandose Chabala that Ivambi was one of the two people he found at Lusaka’s East Park Mall car park after a tip off that they were selling a pangolin.

Mr Likonde, aged 40, explained to the court that a tip off from the public had given a phone number for one of the suspects whom he arranged with to meet at the Mall near the Hungry Lion.

Mr Likonde said at East Park, that’s when he got to meet Ilunga Chikonka the one he called on the phone, and Zachary Ivambi who offered him the live pangolin at  K550, 000 (in his broken English).

He submitted the suspects were in a white Acura, MDX model with registration number BLA 5637, a left hand drive SUV vehicle.

He said the pangolin was in a grey basket with a lid and holes around it and that Ilunga opened the basket to show him the pangolin.

Mr Likonde said Ivambi had even requested if the payment could be made in dollars.

Mr Likonde said he had negotiated for the price and it was reduced to K500 000 when he told the two accuse that he was going back to the office in the pretext that he went to to organise the money.

He said at the office, he organised two vehicles with some officers to help in the apprehension, as he returned to East Park.

He said he called the number to Ilunga whom he identified as he recognised the vehicle approaching his position.

Ilunga then signalled she drove passed him to park and walked to the officer’s car, then they walked back to the assailant’s car when Ivambi came out as Ilunga opened the boot, the basket which contained the pangolin.

“Then I signalled for my back up vehicle and officer Musabi Joseph and others cane through and introduced themselves as officers from the Department of Wildlife, and then asked if they had papers for trading in pangolin and they said they didn’t have,” he said.

The suspects were arrested around 17 hours at the East Park Mall and later handed over the suspects, the basket, the pangolin and the vehicle to police for further investigation

The wildlife officer also submitted to court that the live pangolin has since been disposed of before the court by wildlife officer Mukupa Patrick who signed the order of disposal.

Ends.