WILDLEX

Yanxu D. opened Jumingyuan Jewellery Store at the International Jewellery Trading Center in Yaotou Road, Lixia District, Jinan City in 2014. During the operation of the jewellery store, Yanxu D.

In February 2018, Heng Z. purchased a snow leopard skin from Han through WeChat and sold it to Yu. Then he asked Han to deliver the snow leopard skin to Xu by courier at the address provided by Yu. After the appraisal, the snow leopard skin involved was worth 400,000 yuan.

On October 4, 2017, Jun L. returned from Kenya by KQ886 flight and entered through the Guangzhou Baiyun Airport port. He concealed the disguised four small pieces of rhino horn slices in the black wooden head, and placed it in the suitcase for consignment. From October 8 to October 16, 2017, Jun L. contacted Hongsen W.

On September 20, 2019, Shenggui L., Yuanmei Q and Yingjun Z. used electric fishing method to catch 500 kilograms of wild fish in the waters near the Potou Ferry in Hunan’s West Dongting Lake National Nature Reserve.

At noon on March 1, 2014, Shijiang S. drove his black Mercedes-Benz sedan to transport an ivory returning to Langfang City, Hebei Province. He was seized while passing through the Lujijie Rongwu Expressway Public Security Checkpoint of Binzhou Public Security Bureau.

This is an appeal by the appellant against his conviction and sentence by the Regional Court magistrate, Upington, on charges of contravention of sections 44(1)(b)(i) and 46 of the Nature and Environmental Conservation Ordinance 19 of 1974.

The accused were charged with various counts in terms of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (“POCA”). The court was presented with evidence which led to the accused’s’ arrest. During the trial, it became apparent that there was an informer who was working for the Scorpions and was gathering information of the crime syndicate.

The court considered an appeal against the sentenced imposed on the appellants on the basis that they are shockingly inappropriate and out of kilter with other cases and that the court below didn’t take into account their personal circumstances.

The court considered an appeal on the basis that the court below erred in not granting the interdict.

At the heart of this matter were the customary rights to marine resources. The appellants were tried at the Magistrate court and later appealed to the High Court in Mthatha. The Hight Court, however, held that their conduct was unlawful because they had not applied for an exemption as contemplated in the MLRA, granting them a permit to fish.