WILDLEX

The accused persons were charged jointly and severally for contravening various provisions of the laws governing and regulating possession and disposition of the Government trophies. The main charge around this case was unlawful exportation of wild animals with total value of Tshs. 170,575,500.

The appellant was stood charged with the offence of unlawful possession of government trophy c/s 170 (1) and (2) of the Wildlife Conservation Act. No. 12 of 1974 read together with para 15 of the 1st Schedule and section 59 (2) of the Economic and Organized Crimes Act No. 13 of 1992 of 1984 as amended by Act No. 3 of 1992.

The appellants were alleged to have been found in the Tarangire National Park in unlawful possession of three swala pala meat valued at Tshs 1,813,500/-, three did-dik meat valued at Tshs 1,162,500/- and three reedbuck meat valued at Tshs 2,092,500/- all valued at Tsh 5,068,500/- the property of Tanzania Government.

On 14/03/2012 at 17:00 hours while on patrol at Rubanda area within SENAPA, they received information from a secret informant that, there was a person in the village (Machengere) selling wild animal’s meat. They were directed where to find that person, he was caught drying dik-dik’s meat. They arrested him and took him to Mugumu Police station.

On the 11th day of march 2015, during the city search, the house of the accused was searched. He was found in possession of one piece of Dik-dik horn and one piece of lizard skin. The case was dismissed under section 225(5) of the Criminal Procedure Act.

The accused person was arrested with dik-dik on 09.05.2005. Prosecution alleged that on the material day the accused was found in unlawful possession of the dik-dik without permit from the authorized authorities.

On 11.01.2010 at Meserani Duka Bovu area within Monduli District in Arusha the accused was found in unlawful possession of six dik-dik meat values at USD 260, one impala meat valued at USD 170 and Tommy gazelle meat valued at USD 140 property of the Tanzania Government.

On 10th July 2014 at Marerani-Kilimahewa within Simanjiro District, Manyara region, the accused was found in unlawful possession of two impala meat valued at 780 USD equivalent to Tshs. 1,248,000/= and two dik-dik meat valued at 500 USD equivalent to Tshs. 800,000/= both being properties of Tanzania.

Accused Juma Grayson, Geofrey Semkoko and Salim Kigoda were arrested and charged for being found in unlawful possession of Government trophies contrary to the provision of the law. They were all charged at the Pangani District Court for the same offence.

All three appellants have appealed against their convictions. There is no appeal against the sentences, because of the mandatory provisions of the legislation in casu. The representative of the Crown conceded Accused No. 5's appeal, due to the unsatisfactory nature of the evidence against him, specifically. Since Accused No.