Tendai Makumire
A 50-year-old Harare man has been ordered to pay a US$200 fine or serve four months in jail for unlawful possession of four tortoises.
Peter Muchenje was found guilty of contravening the Parks and Wildlife Act after attempting to sell the tortoises, valued at US$2,000, without a permit.
The incident occurred on May 16, 2025, when detectives from the CID Flora and Fauna Unit received information that Muchenje was in possession of the tortoises in the Highlands area of Harare, looking for buyers.
The detectives posed as potential buyers, and Muchenje directed them to his residence where Muchenje demanded US$25 for each tortoise.
The detectives identified themselves and asked Muchenje to produce documentation authorizing him to possess the tortoises, which he failed to do, leading to his arrest.
An official from the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority later identified the tortoises as tetsudidae.
