Search results

The Tanzanian government has added a charge of money laundering to an economic sabotage case involving three defendants accused of smuggling 164 snakes, lizards, and chameleons without a permit. The accused, Eric Ayo, Ally Ringo, and Aziz Ndago, allegedly transported these wildlife assets valued at Sh20 million, violating local law. Now, instead of the previous two charges, the defendants will face three, with the third one, money laundering, solely targeting Ayo. He is supposed to have committed this crime on January 26, 2021, at the CRBD Bank in Msamvu, Morogoro.

In the war on poaching, some of the best defenders have four legs. Trained canines are used in some of South Africa's national parks to detect wildlife contraband like rhino horns, pangolin scales, and ivory at airports and roadblocks. Other dogs are trained to track and apprehend poachers in the field. According to Save the Rhino, 9,885 rhinos have been lost to poaching in the last decade. But Carl Thornton, founder and director of Pit-Track K9 Conservation and Anti-Poaching Unit, says the numbers are likely much higher.

Environment minister Pohamba Shifeta says some of the 120 suspects arrested last year for wildlife crimes were repeat offenders who were out on bail for similar crimes. “It is discouraging when a suspect is arrested for a crime today and the next day commits the same crime again. We do not want to tell justice what to do, but a repeat offender should not be let out on bail,” Shifeta said yesterday.