Fugitive Moyo appears in court

Chakalisa Dube | Tuesday January 9, 2018 16:39

 

Botswana Police Service (BPS) spokesperson Dipheko Motube confirmed that Moyo would appear for mention tomorrow. The Zimbabwean national is facing poaching charges. 

“I however, do not have much information about his extradition but he arrived recently,” Motube said.  

The 52-year-old Moyo has been on the run form Botswana authorities for over five years. Mmegi has learnt that he was successfully extradited to Botswana in the last week of December last year. 

In court October last year Moyo failed in his bid to halt his extradition to Botswana. His reasoning was that Botswana authorities that have developed a hard-line stance against poachers would treat him harshly.

In Botswana, Moyo was reportedly found in illegal possession of a rhino horn during a roadblock at or near the Francistown-Orapa Junction. He was subsequently charged with an offence of illegal possession of a government trophy. 

Moyo was charged alongside Nametso and Israel Morakane as well as Moses Tlou. Israel was then working as Wildlife officer based at Pandamatenga. The trio are out on bail and have pleaded not guilty to the charge. 

Moyo fled the country after he was granted bail late in October 2012.  According to police insiders a high level security featuring police and intelligence officers from Zimbabwe was assembled to facilitate Moyo’s extradition to Botswana. 

Moyo who has also been described as dangerous and well connected was reportedly transported into Botswana by flight.  

Some media houses in Zimbabwe have dubbed him SADC poaching kingpin. 

At one point the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority named Moyo as one of the most wanted cross-border poachers linked to several poaching activities at the country’s Rhino Intensive Protection Zones.