Court Reporter
A Gokwe traditional healer who was found with two black cobra snakes was fined US$200 or spend four months behind bars by Kwekwe Magistrate Mildred Matuvi last week.

Polite Ncube (26) of Gono Village, Chief Mkoka, Gokwe who was convicted on his plea of guilty said his snakes which were confiscated by the Zimbabwe National Parks will find their way back to Gokwe where they will be reunited with him.

Ncube was charged with contravening Section 59 (1)(b) of the Parks and Wildlife Act Chapter 20;14 which is removal of any animal or any part of an animal from any land or from one place to another on any land.
In his defense, he told the court that the snakes belonged to his late grandfather who initially gave him two short roots which later turned into snakes.

He was arrested on 25 March 2024 along Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Road in Kwekwe during a police routine search.
The police officers on patrol found two cobra snakes in the satchel.
The snakes were taken by ZimParks.