Byย Judithย Sibandaย
A Victoria Falls man who was arrested and jailed for six months in 2019 for smuggling restricted goods into the countryย is in trouble with the law again after police found three elephant tusks in his vehicle.
Stanley Takavada (44) was arrested on Wednesday after police found the tusks in his vehicle, a Toyota Gair, that had been put up for auction by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority.
According to Matabeleland North police spokesperson Inspector Glory Banda, one Japhet Siziba from Beitbridge travelled to Victoria Falls to purchase the vehicle.
After buying it, he toured it to Victoria Falls garage for serving en-route to Beitbridge.
When he opened the boot, he discovered a white sack containing two elephant tusks in the spare wheel compartment and immediately went to report the matter to the police.
The police attended to the scene and upon conducting a search in the vehicle discovered another elephant tusk hidden underneath the back seat.
The following day, police established that Takavada was making contacts Siziba in order to recover the ivory.
The police then put him under surveillance.
On the same day, at around 9 30 am, the police followed Takavada as he went to meet up with Siziba.
When he got to the vehicle, he opened the rear side door and took the white sack which was in the boot before proceeding to take another tusk which was under the seat wrapped in a black jacket and was immediately arrested.
Banda said investigations established that the tusks had been left by the accused in the vehicle when he was arrested on June 10, 2019.
He has since appeared in court and remanded in custody.
