Eco-guards in charge of the area of Moloundou notified brigade elements about the presence of a convict notorious for elephant poaching, in a Baka village. A team of eco-guards, elements of the gendarmerie, and some villagers of good faith was constituted. The team arrested the accused EDOU Alain flagrante delicto in his farm in illegal possession of smoked elephant meat placed beside some elephant remains in a state of decomposition and 04 elephant ivories. During interrogation, he revealed that the poaching network includes the co-offender Moelle Libroire who uses war arms furnished by MOUSSA Inoua and other actors including BINTSOE Alfred, BINTSOE Armand, SIPEN Gilbert and MOHAMADOU MOURTALA, the motorbike driver of the network. Some other villagers were interrogated in the regards for the establishment of the truth. Moelle Libroire, SIPEN Gilbert, and MOUSSA Inoua pleaded guilty as reproached to the offence of poaching and illegal detention of arms and ammunitions while BINTSOE Alfred, MOHAMADOU MOURTALA, and BINTSOE Armand pleaded not guilty. At the end of interrogations, they were transmitted together with the seized items before the State Attorney for prosecution.
The State Attorney and the Ministry of Forestry Vs EDOU Alain, MOUSSA INOUA, BINTSOE Alfred, BINTSOE Armand Ledoux, MOHAMADOU MOURTALA alias B52, SIPEN Gilbert and MOELLE Libroire
Country
Territorial subdivision
Court
Type of court
Seat of court
Bertoua
Court jurisdiction
Date of opinion
2013
Abstract
Language of document
French
Charges
Illegal detention of war arms and ammunitions, poaching, complicity to poaching and escape.
Species
Transnational
No
Decision
EDOU Alain, MOUSSA Inoua, MOHAMADOU MOURTALA were all found guilty of complicity to poaching totally protected animal species. BINTSOE Alfred, BINTSOE Armand, MOELLE Libroire, and SIPEN Gilbert were all found guilty of poaching in a prohibited zone and illegal detention of war arms and hunting guns. Moussa Inoua and Moelle Libroire were found guilty of complicity to escape and for escaping respectively.
Appealed
No
Penalty
The court sentenced the accused persons as follows; EDOU Alain and MOHAMADOU MOURTALA were sentenced to two (02) years fixed term imprisonment. BINTSOE Alfred and BINTSOE Arman Ledoux were sentenced to three (03) years fixed term imprisonment. MOUSSA INOUA was sentenced to three (03) years fixed term imprisonment and to pay 3.000.000 XAF for fines. MOELLE Libroire was sentenced to three (03) years fixed term imprisonment. SIPEN was sentenced to three (03) years fixed term imprisonment and 3.000.000 XAF for fines. All of them were to jointly pay 225.500 XAF for costs.
Legislation cited
Law No 94/01 of 20 January 1994 to lay down forestry, wildlife and fisheries regulations