Elephant tusk case postponed
The four men were remanded in custody pending further investigation.
Four men appeared in the Ga-Rankuwa Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of illegal possession of elephant tusks and ivory products.
The four Botswana citizens, aged between 27 and 44 years old – Mafia Masole, Mpho Motsididi, Philip Kekana and Teba Baahl – who were arrested in Winterveldt on Friday, had their case postponed to Monday November 28.
“They were remanded in custody pending further investigation,” said police spokesperson, Captain Samuel Sebola.
The men were arrested following the tip off that led to the recovery of the two elephant tusks valued at over R40 000.
Sebola said the police were tipped off by a source that men driving in two-vehicle convoy were dealing in tusks and ivory products.
“The police found the men at the address provided and upon searching them and the cars, recovered the two tusks,” said Sebola.
After initially telling the police that they were citizens, the police were able to establish that they were Batswana, Sebola said.
“They were arrested in Block CV by members of the police K9 unit, and detained at Loate Police Station.”
“Whether the four men are part of a syndicate… that will form part of the investigations,” said Sebola.
Poachers are now slaughtering up to 35 000 of the estimated 500 000 African elephants every year for their tusks.
A male’s tusks can weigh more than 110 kilograms, and about half a kilo can fetch as much as R21 000 on the black market.
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The ivory is so valuable because across Asia, particularly China, ivory figurines are traditional gifts, and ivory chopsticks, hair ornaments, and jewellery are highly prized.
“China regards ivory a cultural heritage; it is not going to ban it,” said Grace Gabriel of the International Fund for Animal Welfare.
She said many Chinese consumers did not realise that elephants must be killed to harvest ivory.
“In one survey, more than two thirds of respondents said they thought tusks grew back like fingernails.”
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Trade in tusks is the main reason elephant numbers are dropping across the globe.
Gabriel said ivory was expensive and had been used to make billiard balls, piano keys, identification chips and many other sought-after items.
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