Abong Mbang, East Region:

Three Appear in Court for Pangolin Scales Trafficking

Arrested traffickers with pangolin scales at gendarmerie brigade in Doume

The Abong Mbang court of first instance shall on Tuesday July 10 hear the case against three people who were arrested in last Mayin Doumein the East Region for trafficking  pangolin scales. The arrest that was carried out by the Doume chief of the forestry and wildlife control post in collaboration with the Gendarmerie Brigade, was technically assisted by a wildlife law enforcement body called LAGA.

            The three were found moving bags of pangolin scales for sale and the scales weighed 35kg in total.  While two of the traffickers were arrested on the spot, a third trafficker escaped when he saw wildlife officials and gendarmes but could not run away with his bike which he abandoned. The motocycle was taken to the gendarmerie brigade and the fugitive would later come to the brigade to bribe and collect his bike. When he arrived the gendarmerie brigade and according to eyewitness accounts, few could believe he decided to come to the brigade as he was immediately arrested. 

            The operation was carried out under the spirited leadership of the, the chief of Doume forestry and wildlife control post who declared that they received information from LAGA that trafficking of pangolin scales was going on in the area and he decided to set up an operation team and put in place a strategy to intercept the scales and arrest the culprits.

            This is the third time the court shall be hearing the case as the trial was initially postponed from last month. The two traffickers were taken to Abong Mbang immediately after their arrest, where the prosecution and trial is ongoing. The traffickers face up to 3 years’ imprisonment if found guilty.

            The trafficking of pangolin scales in the region has grown to devastating proportions and impacts and Baina said:“poaching has become an ill in the region” while  talking of the difficulties he has with tracking those involved in these acts because as he says it is dangerous to chase poachers who are armed.

            Tons of pangolin scales have been seized in the country in recent years and this points to the rising problem with pangolin scales trafficking. In a bit to sensitize the public, Baina opined: “I pray the population to respect the laws governing forestry and wildlife because they may be exposed when they carry out illegal acts”.          The reason behind such spikes in pangolin scales trafficking according to Baina is Chinese immigrants in the country. He said: “pangolin scales are well sought after by our Chinese friends living in the country. They go after pangolin scales for diverse reasons which I cannot explain but invariably the destination for the scales is China”.