Three Zimbabweans identified as Teedzai Simbarashe, Raymond Kabungaidze and Takana Shumba have been sentenced to six months simple imprisonment and twelve months suspended for illegal possession of emeralds.

When the matter came up before magistrate David Simusamba yesterday, the trio admitted being found in possession of 7.2 kilograms of low grade emeralds.

The trio was on October 4, 2017 arrested at the Kafue bridge when a combined team of police and DEC officers mounted a check point.

Upon searching their vehicle, police discovered two contrabands in the rear bonnet that were concealed in white plastic bags and covered with sellotape.

In their mitigation Simbarashe, Kabungaidze and Shumba asked the court to impose a lesser punishment on them on account that they were remorseful for possessing 7.2 kilograms of emeralds without being permitted by the chief mining engineer.

The trio stated that it imported the emeralds from Zimbabwe with the perception that emeralds had the market potential in Zambia.

The three stated that they did not acquire the emeralds dubiously but exhumed them with picks and shovels.

The trio vowed never to find themselves on the wrong side of the law and promised to become ambassadors against illegal mining when given a lesser punishment.