Mike Mmpande 35 of Siabuwa in drought stricken Binga has pleaded with a magistrate to be sent to jail with his entire family for fear that they will starve to death while he is in prison.
Mmpande was sentenced to a long 9 year period in prison by Binga magistrate Aeline Munamati for the crime of “being found in possession of a pangolin skin”.
Speaking in mitigation, Mmpande told the magistrate that he is married to two wives and has seven children. He begged with the magistrate that he is the bread winner for his family and he fears that his family will starve to death while doing time in prison.
“I am the bread winner for my family and I am scared that my family will starve to death while I am in prison. At least if they are also sent to prison with me they will also get food from prison.”
Mmpande was arrested on Sunday with a fellow villager Moses Mwinde following a tip off to the police and parks officials that they were in possession of pangolin and python skins. The police approached the pair guised as buyers of the skins and offered each of them a bag of maize meal for the skins.
The two produced the skins leading to their immediate arrest.
Pangolins and pythons are available in large amounts in the Binga area along the Zambezi river and locals have been making a living out of hunting the rare animals. Traditional healers and tourists are a ready market for the animals’ skin.
The two men will serve an effective seven years in jail each for their offences.