WILDLEX

On 25th day of 2013, accused was found in possession of the Government trophy and was charged for being in possession of the Government trophies contrary to section 86 (1) and (2) (b) of the Wildlife Conservation Act, No. 5 of 2009 read together with section 14(d) of the Economic and Organized Crime Control Act [Cap 200 R.E 2002].

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.

Accused person were arrested for having been found in possession of a government trophy and were charged accordingly. There pleaded guilty and were convicted.

On 25th August, 2013 at about 01:00hrs at Mheza-Maore Village within Same District – Kilimanjaro region, the appellant was arrested for being in unlawful possession of the government trophy which is one “cheeter” skin worth Tshs. 7,942,900, the property of the government of the United Republic of Tanzania and without permit or license.

On 13th December, 2012 at Kishisha Village, Siha District at Kilimanjaro region, the accused was arrested by the Kinapa Park rangers on allegations of possessing government trophy which was hyrax. This was contrary to the Wildlife Conservation Act, No. 05 of 2009. He was charged for the first time at Hai District Court on 24th January, 2013.

On the 20 June 2014, elements of the conservation service of the Mt. Cameroon National Park organized an anti-poaching patrol in the village of Efolofo, located around the said park. Upon hearing a gun, they moved towards the direction with the aid of cyber tracker.

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 12/08/2015, custom officials of Idenau seized a bag containing elephant tusks belonging in aboat called GIDEON belonging to a company called Lophombo PLC. One of the customs officials saw the boat with four loaded bags, approached the boat and asked one of the accused persons who was in charge of the goods had been declared.