DODOMA district court has sentenced two men to 20 years each in prison over unlawful possession of government’s trophies.
The convicts, Alfred Nyagawa and Jumanne
Mlaga, were convicted of illegal possession of a gun and two elephant
tusks. Resident Magistrate James Karayemaha, giving the ruling, said the
convicts were found with the trophies against the Wildlife Act.
Apart from the 20-year sentence, the
court also nationalised the trophies. Six witnesses testified in the
economic sabotage case number 4/2016 in nine evidences which were
adduced.
However, Mr Karayemaha turned down the
convicts’ plea to have their punishment reduced, saying the penalty
would save as a lesson to other criminals. He said the convicts should
serve the jail term or appeal if not satisfied with the court verdict.
The magistrate commended the state
attorneys in the case for their efforts against poaching, saying more
work is required to curb poaching on natural resources.
He described the verdict as the lesson
to others planning to commit similar illegal acts, warning them to stop.
Earlier, Advocate Magiri Mbasha who defended the accused pleaded but in
vain for the court to reduce the jail term.
The state attorney, Mr Salimu Msemo,
said poaching has led to decline of elephants in national parks. He said
harsh punishment was ideal to the culprits who use national wealth for
their personal benefits.
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