LAGA Yoko court case:

Trafficker in court for selling illegal ivory

The case against an ivory trafficker shall be heard on August 2 at the Ntui Court of First Instance following his arrest early last month during a sting operation carried out in Yoko.

                He had attempted to sell two ivory tusks and was apprehended during the operation that was carried out by the Centre Regional Delegation of Forestry and Wildlife with technical assistance from LAGA, a wildlife law enforcement support body. After his arrest he was immediately driven out to Ntui where the prosecution established a case file.   He was charged with illegal possession, commercialization and circulation of parts of protected wildlife species, according to the 1994 wildlife law governing the sector.

                The matter was forwarded to court and the case opened on July 11, 2017 and during a short session, it was quickly adjourned to the 27th of the same month for presentation of exhibits – that is the two ivory tusks weighing 18kg that was seized during the operation. The trafficker was remanded in custody and the case again adjourned to August 24 for pleadings to commence and for representatives of the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife to appear in court. They are officially designated by the Minister.

                The matter is followed by many in the towns of Yoko and Ntui where the trafficker is very popular. His arrest was received with disbelief as few thought this could happen to a man who enjoyed good connections with some officials in the area. He had used these connections to run an ivory business with impunity for several years and escaped arrest last year when a team that included officials in the locality attempted to apprehend him. It was later discovered that information had been leaked.

                According to an official who was part of the arresting team, after the failed attempt, officials decided to compose a team entirely of law enforcement officers from Yaounde. The regional delegation decided to use only its own staff for the arrest. The decision was quickly proven correct as the car that was driving him out of Yoko would be stopped by some gendarmes seemingly trying to make a last ditch attempt to influence the process but the situation was sternly resolved and the car continued its journey to Ntui where the prosecution process could begin in earnest.

                On the day of the arrest the suspect arrived on a bike clutching the bag, where the ivory tusks were stored, close to his back. He had cut the tusks into four pieces for easy transportation on the motorcycle. Wildlife officials who were simply waiting for his arrival quickly swooped in, seizing the bag and getting him handcuffed immediately. The experienced trafficker seemed to have understood his time was up but tried some diversionary tactics to flee. He then resisted being put into the car.

                Several wildlife law enforcement operations have been unsuccessful in Yoko because of the corruption and complicity between traffickers and some officials and many expressed satisfaction at the efforts of the regional delegation that is stepping enforcement in the area that is considered a hotspot for trafficking. Conservationists are expecting the courts to set a good deterrent example for traffickers in the locality.