WILDLEX

The appellants were found at Serengeti National Park without any written authorization. They were also armed with bows and arrows, knives, bush knives and trapping wires. It was also alleged by the prosecution that they were found in possession of government trophies.

The appellant was sentenced by the Resident Magistrate of Shinyanga as follows; 1st Count: Entering into a game reserve. He was sentenced to custodial sentence of one year in jail. 2nd Count: Unlawful hunting in a game reserve. He was sentenced to pay a fine of Tsh. 200,000/= or one year in jail in default.

The appellant was found in a game reserve to be in possession of fire arm and meat of the animals named in the species sub section below without a valid permit. During trial he denied the facts as presented by the prosecution.

The appellant was found in possession of 71 pieces of elephant tusks and stood trial before the district court of Shinyanga as presided over by a Resident Magistrate. The appellant appealed to the High Court but the appeal was dismissed.

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.

The court held that the appellants were protecting the lives of the cubs and as well as their legal interest in the survical of the cubs as the owners of the very expensive animals.

The appellant was found to have been complicit in the transaction where a fake rhino horn was sold in a police trap for R350 000. He was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment. The appellant unsuccessfully appealed to the Free State High Court against his conviction and sentence.