WILDLEX

The five appellants have been charged on the aforesaid Count Nos. 2 and 4. The Court, to which the appeals have been made, noted "certain glaring anomalies" with the court of first instance's verdict.

This case is an application for bail pending appeal.

The accused persons on the 4th July 2007 at about 23:00 hours in Kimande Village within rural district of Iringa were found in unlawful possession of government trophies in the form of 13 pieces of elephant tusks which weighed 68.7 kilograms in all. The accused persons pleaded not guilty.

It was alleged that on the 24th day of August 2013 at Samora area within the municipality and region of Iringa, the accused persons were found in possession of six elephant tusks and six cut pieces of elephant tusks all valued at Tshs 120,000,000/= being the property of the government without lawful permit. They were found not guilty.

The accused was found in possession of elephant meat after receiving information from an informant that the accused was in such possession. He was found not guilty.

It was alleged that on the 16th day of June 2015 at Ruaha National Park within Iringa Region was found in an unlawful possession of an elephant tusk valued at USD 15,000 equivalent of Tshs. 33,090,000/= without a permit. He was also found wiith firearms (a rifle and a Mark 4) as well as ammunition.

On the material date, at 22.00 hrs at Tingirima village within Bunda District in Mara Region, the accused was found in the possession of skins of dik-dik, two pieces of dried meat of the wildebeest and a piece of elephant tusk, after an emergence search in his house, a house owned by his mother and elder brother while he was sleeping.

On 17/03/2012, the game officers at Ikorongo Grumeti Game reserve heard bullets loud fired in the game reserve by unknown persons. The game officers then traced the poachers but didn’t find them.

On 23/05/2011, the OC – CID of Mugumu police station received information from two intelligence officers of Tanzania National Parks stationed at Serengeti National Park, that there were persons selling elephant tusks to a person putting up a hotel in Mugumu Township.

The appellant appealed against both conviction and sentence passed by the District Court of Karatu in economic case No. 4 of 2014. It was alleged during trial that on 30th January, 2013 at Rhotia village within Karatu District the accused was found in unlawful possession of one elephant tusk weighing 12.4 kg valued at Tshs.