Two Zimbabwean men have earned themselves jail time after being caught in possession of a pangolin, a specially protected species, without a permit. The pair were arrested on 10 July in a joint operation conducted by the police's Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit in Musina and private security. Abednego Nyathi (51) and Personal Sibanda (41), both from the Mangwe District in Zimbabwe, were arrested and charged on two counts. Count 1 was for contravening the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, Act 10 of 2004, by being in possession of a specially protected species. The second count related to contravening Section 9(3)(a) of the Immigration Act, Act 13 of 2002. On 5 September, both Nyathi and Sibanda were found guilty, following a plea agreement, and sentenced in the Musina Regional Court. On count 1, Nyathi was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, and on count 2, to two years' imprisonment. Sibanda received a two-year imprisonment sentence on count 2 and, following further investigations in terms of Section 103(1) of the Firearms Control Act, Act 60 of 2000, was also declared unfit to possess a firearm. The court ordered that the sentences imposed should run concurrently. The pangolin, a female, was recovered alive.