A former ranger at Ngamo Safaris in Hwange was last week sentenced to nine years in prison for illegal possession of two elephant tusks valued at $512.
Justice Zulu (38) was sentenced by Hwange magistrate Rose Dube after being on the run since December last year.
Prosecutor Loveness Maseko presented that on December 17 last year, an anti-poaching team was on patrol when they met Zulu and his accomplice Innocent Nyathi, who immediately took to their heels.
The rangers gave chase and managed to arrest Nyathi, while Zulu dropped his sack and disappeared. Zulu was eventually arrested and together with Nyathi appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Zulu, who was represented by Joyline Change, told the court that he was wrongfully implicated in the matter but was convicted and so was his co-accused Nyathi who is already serving a similar jail term.