WILDLEX

The appellant was appealing against the decision of the High Court which ruled that the offence which the respondents were charged with was not an economic crime to be tried before the High Court and thus ordered that the matter to be remitted back to the trial court for necessary amendments of the charge and proceed with trial accordingly.

The appellant was convicted by the District Court of Monduli at Monduli in absentia for unlawful possession of government trophy. He was sentenced to a term of imprisonment for twenty (20) years.

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.

With the help of an informer, the accused person on 24th December 2000 at Mto wa Mbu area within Monduli District, Arusha region was found at Zanzibar guest house with two elephant tusks and three hippopotamus tusks property of the Tanzania government. The accused was found not guilty and therefore was acquitted.

The Anti-Poaching Unit received information from their informer that there is a business if elephants tusk about to happen in Arusha-Njiro area. Posing as buyers, the Unit contacted the seller about the possibility of buying the tusks. The sellers fell into a trap and showed the unit the tusks.

The accused persons on 12.07.2014 at Kaloleni area within Arusha city were found in unlawful possession of five ivory tusks the property of Tanzania Government. In this case, Anti-poaching Unit received a tip from an informer that the accused person were in possession of ivory tusks and were looking for a buyer.

The accused and two others on and about 11st December 2011 at Mererani within Simanjiro District in Manyara region were found in possession of government trophies valued at Tshs. 9,024,000/= without a valid license from authorized authority.

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.

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.

The accused jointly on the 30th March, 2011 at Osunyani Street Ngusero area within the municipality, District and region of Arusha were found in possession of three live cheetahs, the property of Tanzania government, without a valid licence from the authorized authority.