VICTORIA FALLS - Police in Victoria Falls have arrested a maid and a gardener who allegedly stole eight elephant tusks worth US$18 750 from their employer.Muleya Dube, 27, and Sarah Ncube, 29, who were employed as maid and gardener respectively appeared before the Victoria Falls resident magistrate, Richard Ramaboea. They were facing allegations of contravening Section 126 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, chapter 9:23 (theft of elephant ivory).
Dube was remanded in custody while Ncube was granted US$500 bail.
It is the States that on December 23 last year, their employer, Adrian Van Heerden left the country for a holiday in South Africa.
Before going away, he instructed Ncube to sleep in the main house so as to look after his property.
While Van Heerden was still away, Dube and Ncube connived and allegedly stole eight elephant tusks.
On his return, Van Heerden decided to check if his property was in place and discovered that the tusks were missing.
He made a report to the police leading to the arrest of his employees.
Meanwhile, police have recovered two of the eight elephant tusks worth US$3 600 from Biggy Chinhamho.
Chinhamho has since been sentenced to two years in prison by Ramaboea after pleading guilty to being found in possession of ivory without a valid permit.
He will, however, serve 18months after six moths of his sentence were suspended on condition that he does not deal in ivory in the next five years.
Post published in: News