WILDLEX

On the 9 December 2014, elements of the Regional Delegation of Forestry and Wildlife Buea received a letter from military officials who were on a mixed control mission in the town of Misselele, about a seizure of pangolin scales and elephant ivories carried out on the 8 December.

In October 2013, BABA AHMADOU, the board chairperson of the telecoms company VIETTEL, sent a complaint to the Buea Judicial police about some of his collaborators indulging in smuggling elephant tusks and pangolin scales in the national territory tarnishing the reputation of their firm.

On the 4 August 2013, the conservator of Korup National Park received reliable information about an elephant being killed in the village of Ikenge. The conservator mobilized a team together with the military to carry out a field investigation to this effect. On their way to the village, the team kept an open eye for any evidence.

On the night of the 5 breaking 6 April 2012, the accused persons were arrested in the Forest Management Unit N° 09-025, a protected area by elements of the conservation service. They were found in possession of trophies of protected animal species, including 4 Blue Duikers, 1 Bay duiker, 2 pangolins, 01 hunting gun and 13 ammunitions.

In March 2016, the accused persons were found in the Forest of Malabo, in PK 45 with a war arm, 01 Kalashnikov and 12 ammunitions hidden in a tree trunk.

On the 11 July 2014, elements of the conservation service of the Campo’o Ma’an National Park arrested the accused in the said park in possession of a hunting gun, 10 Blue Duikers, 06 De Brazza’s Monkeys, and 02 Bay Duikers. He accepted criminal responsibility and pleaded guilty.

The accused NGALLA Mohamed was arrested for involuntary murder, complicity in the illegal killing of totally protected animal species, and illegal detention of an arm. He was prosecuted before the Court of First Instance Yokadouma and was sentenced to 6 months imprisonment term and to pay 200.000 XAF for fines.

On the 18 December 2013, elements of the conservation service of the Campo’o Ma’an National Park organized an anti-poaching patrol mission and arrested the accused with 01 hunting gun and ammunitions in the said park. He admitted criminal responsibility and confessed committing the offences as charged.

The appellant was convicted in the Magistrate’s Court on two accounts of contravening the Firearms Act and one count of contravening the National Parks and Wildlife Act, Cap. 316. The appellant appeared before the Supreme Court to apply for the return of his firearm which was ordered to be forfeited.

This is an appeal case were the accused was aqutted and the convictions on the three counts of Unlawful Possession of Prescribed Trophy without a certificate of ownership were set aside for lack of proper evidence provided to the court.