Malawi Police arrest Zambian over illegal importation of ivory

Malawi Police in Mchinji have arrested a 26 year old Zambian national for illegal importation of raw specimen of ivory.

The suspect, Nelson Goma was recently arrested along Mkanda – Mchinji Road after he was found in possession of nine pieces of ivory weighing about 27kg.

Mchinji Police public relations officer Kaitano Lubrino said  police arrested the suspect and recovered the ivory following a tip-off from a well-wisher.

Kaitano said preliminary police investigations established that the suspect illegally entered Malawi using unchartered routes with the ivory.

“The suspect was in the country seeking possible markets and had wrapped the ivory with empty sacks,” Lubrino said

Following his arrest the police referred the specimen to an expert from department of Malawi National Parks and Wildlife for an analysis and it has since been certified and confirmed to be an ivory.

The department has also valued the ivory at K40,500,000.00 calculated at 2000 US dollars/Kg.

The suspect will appear before Mchinji First Grade Magistrate Court soon to answer charges of being found in possession of specimen of protected species contrary to Section 86 of the National Parks and Wildlife Act and illegal entry respectively.

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