CAMEROUN :: Three traffickers to appear in court for drill trafficking at Bafang :: CAMEROON

Three people shall be standing trail at the Court of First Instance of Bafang on the 20th of December, 2021 to answer to charges of drill trafficking. They were arrested on November 4, 2021 by wildlife officials of the Upper-Nkam Divisional Delegation of Forestry and Wildlife, in collaboration with the Gendarmerie as they attempted to sell a juvenile drill.

The case will be heard for the second time in court after the first was adjourned to December 20thfor parties to prepare their defense. LAGA a wildlife law enforcement organization that assisted technically during the arrest is equally assisting in the legal procedure of the case.

The drill is a short-tailed monkey with similar appearance to a mandrill but lacks the bright blue, red colours on the face. Mature males have a pink lower lip and white chin on a dark grey to black face with raised grooves on the nose while, the female drills lack pink chin.

Drills are endangered species as classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). They are under threat of extinction and are totally protected by the 1994 wildlife law. It therefore means any possession of drill isprohibited and punishable as provided by the law.

The rescued drill of about three months old is presently at the Limbe Wildlife Center going through rehabilitation. She has been nicknamed “Malaika” which means princess.