Sombo Celestin and Ebete Romuald are two Congolese citizens living in Souanke. In Juillet 2017, Sombo Ceslestin went to Ebete Romuald’s house and took a hunting weapon (type caliber 12) with the autorisation of the latter to carry out a hunting expedition. While the weapon was at his house, Sombo received the visit of forces of law and order who interrogated him on a war weapon received from Ebete for big hunting what Sombo denied. They then searched his house and discovered the caliber 12 weapon and Sombo denunced Ebete as being the owner of the weapon. Uniform officers then went to search Ebete’s house and found two war weapons (type PMK) and four ivory tusks. Ebete and Sombo were then brought to the water and forest services and then to the state prosecutor.
Country
Territorial subdivision
Court
Type of court
Seat of court
Ouesso
Court jurisdiction
Date of opinion
2017
Abstract
Language of document
French
Reference number
No. 053/2017
Charges
Illegal possession of war weapons, illicit circulation with ivory tusks, complicity of illegal possession of war weapons and illicit circulation with ivory tusks.
Species
Transnational
No
Decision
Ebete Romuald was found guilty of Illegal possession of war weapons, illicit circulation with ivory tusks; Sombo Celestin was found not guilty of complicity of illegal possession of war weapons and illicit circulation with ivory tusks.
Appealed
No
Penalty
Ebete Romuald was sentenced to 18 (eighteen) months imprisonment and XAF 200,000 (two hundred thousand) as fines and to pay court fees; The execution of the imprisonment term was suspended; The Imprisonment in default of payment was fixed at its minimum.
Legislation cited
Law No. 37-2008 of 28 November 2008 on wildlife and protected areas