MALAWI: Zambian Wildlife TrafficarsIncluding Army Captain Imprisoned In Malawi

Three Zambians, including an army captain from the Zambian Defence Force (pictured right, centre) were each sentenced to 3.5 years in prison in Malawi today after they were convicted of wildlife trafficking.

Captain Sandu Kalimbo, 44 from Sanjangu, Mr John Sakala, 30 years old from Kanjala, and Mr Ronald Mawale, 44 year old from Mtete were arrested on 2nd September 2016 in the Malawian border town of Mchinji after being found in possession of three raw elephant tusks and complete leopard and lion skins. The artefacts were reportedly poached from animals from South Luangwa National Park in Zambia.

The case was brought to court on 5th September, where all three men facing charges of illegal possession of specimens of protected species and dealing in government trophies. On 30th September all three men were found guilty by Lilongwe Magistrate Court and sentenced to 40 months in Internment with Hard Labour, no option of a fine.

Saddry Sambo, Assistant Superintendent, National Police HQ Prosecutions Office, said, “This is the first concluded case which falls under a newly funded public-private litigation project for serious wildlife crime cases. We are very encouraged with the result which shows the determination of the government authorities to combat wildlife crime.”

Tommy Mhango, representing Lilongwe Wildlife Trust, praised the government authorities involved, and added, “This is a great example of where new Malawian initiatives to tackle wildlife crime are having an impact. In this case wildlife crime investigators and prosecutors worked hand in hand to put three significant wildlife trafficker behind bars. It is also encouraging to see that magistrates, in this case His Worship, Patrick Chirwa, are taking a strong stance against this serious organised crimes.”

MALAWI: Malawi Burns 2.9 Tons Of Smuggled Ivory

An official holds a poached ivory tusk from an elephant in front of multiple tons of contraband ivory gathered in front of the parliament in Lilongwe, Malawi in April 2015

Malawi on Monday burned 2.9 tons of ivory smuggled from Tanzania after a cross-border dispute over whether the elephant tusks should be saved as legal evidence against poachers.

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Tanzania had succeeded in delaying the burning since September, but a court in Malawi this month ordered wildlife authorities to publicly destroy the 781 pieces of ivory — valued at nearly $3 million.

“This is a milestone for Malawi. We will not allow the country to be exploited as a market of this illegal trade,” Bright Kumchedwa, director of Malawi’s parks and wildlife department,said.

“We want demonstrate to the world that the country is committed to eradicating wildlife crime.”

The stockpile was set alight outside a nature sanctuary in the small northern city of Mzuzu, 480 kilometres (300 miles) from the administrative capital Lilongwe.

Watched by police and court and wildlife officials, the fire sent a billow of smoke into the sky.

Two Malawian siblings were last year fined $5,500 for their part in trafficking the tusks, which were intercepted by Malawian customs officials in 2013.

Tanzania had won a three-month court order to postpone the burning, but did not apply for a further delay, Kumchedwa said.

Malawi has another 4.4 tons of stockpiled ivory that it plans to destroy.

In March last year, Kenya set fire to 16.5 tons of ivory, which conservationists said then was the largest-ever stockpile burnt in Africa.

Wildlife experts say poaching has halved Malawi’s elephant population from 4,000 in the 1980s to just 2,000 now.

“Malawi is vulnerable to exploitation by traffickers operating between the country and the surrounding countries of Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique,” Jonathan Vaughan, director of Lilongwe Wildlife Trust said.

“It is being targeted by both poachers and traffickers.”

Malawi is widely considered a weak link in the fight against illegal ivory trade due to graft, weak wildlife legislation and poor law enforcement.

Ivory is highly sought for jewellery and decorative objects and much of it is smuggled to China and Thailand, where many wealthy shoppers buy ivory trinkets as a sign of financial success.

MALAWI: Mzuzu High Court, Tanzania Blocks Malawi Ivory Burn

Tanzania on Friday successfully blocked Malawi from burning 2.6 tonnes of ivory smuggled across the border, arguing the horns would be used as evidence during prosecution against poaching suspects.

"We are disappointed because we were all set to burn the trafficked ivory on Friday morning to show our commitment to the fight against elephant poaching and illegal trafficking of ivory until Tanzania prosecutors appeared to seek a court order to stop the process," said Bright Kumchedwa, director of Malawi's parks and wildlife department.

In 2013, 781 tusks smuggled across the border from Tanzania were intercepted by Malawian customs officials.

The stash of 2.6 tonnes was due to be destroyed Friday, with an additional 4 tonnes to be torched later, as Malawi ramps up its efforts to curb poaching.

That has now been delayed after the Mzuzu High Court in Malawi ruled in favour of the Tanzanian appeal, granting a three-month court order halting the torching.

Last month, a court fined two Malawian siblings $5,500 for their part in trafficking the ivory and ordered it be burned within 20 days.

"We were just complying with the court order," Kumchedwa said.

Poaching has halved Malawi's elephant population from 4,000 in the 1980s to just 2,000, according to conservationists.

Jonathan Vaughan, director of conservation NGO Lilongwe Wildlife Trust, said that Malawi is a soft target not only for poachers but also traffickers because of the country’s reputation for corruption, and weak wildlife crime legislation and law enforcement.

Malawi is currently reviewing its wildlife act to provide for stiffer penalties.

Meanwhile, elephant census figures released by Tanzania in June showed a terrible decline of around 60 percent over the last five years, according to wildlife trade monitoring group TRAFFIC.

A report by the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency last November said that criminal gangs and smuggling syndicates had turned Tanzania into "the biggest source of illegal ivory seized around the world".