THE Anti-Poaching National Task Force has arrested one person, Boniface Mathew Malyango, famously known as ‘Shetani Hana Huruma’, (Pitiless Devil) whom the prosecution also described as ‘King of Ivory’ in connection with illegal possession of 118 pieces of elephant tusks worth about 2bn/-.
Malyango was arraigned before the Dodoma
Resident Magistrate’s Court early this week in a special hearing
session to face three different economic crime cases alongside two other
accused persons, Abdallah Ally Chonga, alias Babu and Lucas Malyango,
alias Ruksa Mponze, alias Shimie.
During the session, the prosecution, led
by State Attorneys Paul Kadushi and Salim Msemo, called a number of
witnesses to testify against the accused persons. The long sought
‘Shetani’ is charged with other accused persons in Economic Crime Case
No. 1/2015 and Economic Crime Case No. 20/2015, which are presided over
by Resident Magistrate Erick Fovo, who is Resident Magistrate in-Charge.
While the other Economic Crime Case No.
19/2015, according to the prosecution, is heard by Resident Magistrate
Mwajuma Lukindo. ‘Shetani’ and his co-accused were arrested by members
of the National Task Force, which runs high profile anti-poaching
activities across the country.
In the Economic Crime Case No. 20/2015,
the accused persons are jointly and together stand charged with two
offences of leading organised crime and unlawful dealing in government
trophies.
The prosecution alleges that between
January 1, 2009 and October 23, 2015 at diverse places within Dodoma and
Dar es Salaam regions, all accused persons jointly and together
accepted, transported and sold 118 pieces of elephant tusks valued
1,929,300,000/-, the property of the government.
According to the prosecution, the
accused persons had no trophy dealer licence or a permit from the
Director of Wildlife. During the hearing, the prosecution paraded three
witnesses, namely ASP A.R. Mwakyembe and D. 7321 D/SSGT Jumanne from the
National Task Force and one Omary Hussein.
The said witnesses told the court that
‘Shetani Hana Huruma’ was arrested upon concrete evidence which showed
that he was among the leading trafficker of elephant tusks running his
operations throughout the country.
Several exhibits, including cautioned
statement of the second accused person, Ally Abdallah Chaoga @ Babu,
Court Exhibit Register, two certificates of seizure and two motor
vehicles of Mitsubishi Canter and Toyota Rav 4 makes, all properties of
‘Shetani Hana Huruma’, were tendered as exhibits.
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