The State Attorney and the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife vs. NYUZEU

Country
Territorial subdivision
Type of court
Seat of court
Djoum
Court jurisdiction
Date of opinion
2007
Abstract

On the 27 October 2006, the accused NYUZEU was summoned before the court of First Instance, Djoum to respond to charges of illegal detention and circulation of trophies of protected animal species within the national territory without authorisation; killing and violation of a forestry control barriers. He failed to appear before the court during trials and it was further revealed during the hearing that the accused was never at any point in time interrogated by the agents of the conservation services in the Forestry and Wildlife control post of Djoum, neither was the accused identified by them. The claims of these agents was based purely on quarrels they had with the accused, at the place where they had erected their barrier. The other agents of the said control post, including DINA ISASA DJONA, DJEUL DJOIL NJOUOMFOU Chonibon, BELINGA Lucien, all of whom are eco-guards declared that the accused refused to be interrogated. They further declared that the accused fired shots to clear the barrier installed by them in their control post so as to clear passage for his vehicle and its contents. The ticketing agent BABA Passe Victo Emmanuel did not appear and was not able to identify the accused. It turns out that he didn’t interrogate the person he qualifies in his report as the accused thus violating sections 90 of the criminal procedure code. At the end of writing their report, it was transmitted to the state Attorney for prosecution.

Language of document
French
Reference number
No. 160/COR
Charges
Illegal detention and circulation of trophies of protected animal species within the national territory without authorisation; killing and violation of a forestry control barriers.
Transnational
No
Decision
The accused NYUZEU was found not guilty.
Appealed
No
Penalty
None.
Legislation cited
Law No. 94/01 of 20 January 1994 to lay down forestry, wildlife and fisheries regulations