Court jails Gunde 18 months for illegal possession of ivory

In a bid to ensure maximum protection for wildlife from poachers, Lilongwe Senior Resident Magistrate Court on Tuesday sentenced Jafali Gunde, 41, to 18 months imprisonment with hard labour (IHL) for being found in possession of two bones of an African elephant without permission.

According to Central Region Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent Nolliettie Chihana Chimala, the court learned through prosecutor Sergeant John Kamphani that on 10 March, 2018 police received information from well-wishers that the suspect was offering for sale two raw bones of elephant at area 23 in the city.

“Acting on the tip, the officers from Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at Central Region Police Headquarters teamed up to follow up on the matter. Some officers pretended to be potential buyers and approached the accused, in the process an arrest was made,” said Chihana.

Chihana added that a charge of Illegal Possession of Specimen of Listed Species, contrary to Section 86 (1) as read with Section 110 B (b) of the National Parks and Wildlife Amended Act 2007, was leveled against him to which he pleaded guilty.

She further said the state pleaded for stiffer punishment on the offender to deter would-be offenders. Pronouncing the sentence, Senior Resident Magistrate Shyreen Yona slapped the offender with 18 months imprisonment with hard labour.

Jafali Gunde hails from Sadi Village in the area of Traditional Authority Chamba, Machinga District.

On December 30th last year (2018), the Government of China issued a ban on illegal ivory trading and processing, a development which has been hailed globally as a monumental step on the path to saving elephants from extinction

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :

Sharing is caring!