Cameroun - Cameroon: Baby mandrill rescued, two appear in court

Two people appeared at the Yaounde centre administrative court of first Instance following their arrested at the Elig Edzoa neighourhood, on September 12, for wildlife trafficking. The two, a man aged 23 and a woman, 22, were arrested by the forces of law and order as they attempted to sell 40kg of giant pangolin scales and a baby mandrill.

The young couple had travelled from Mintom to Yaounde to attempt selling the wildlife according to sources close to the matter. The woman travelled first, a day earlier with the pangolin scales and was later reunited with the man who travelled with the baby chimpanzee on the day of the arrest. The pair set out for the transaction that was supposed to take place at the Elig Edzoa neighbourhood and was stopped by the police as they rode in a hired car. They were searched and the mandrill found in a little bag that was carried by the man.

The man who led proceedings against the traffickers, Jean Ngnondete, Controller No.3 at the Centre regional delegation of forestry and wildlife shortly after the arrest said; “we had credible information and accompanied by LAGA, we stopped a car and arrested these suspects who had suspicious looking bags. On verifying the cargo, we found a mandrill and [40kg] of pangolin scales, all forbidden by the 1994 law”. The operation that was carried by the Centre regional delegation of forestry and wildlife was technically assisted by a non govermemental organization called LAGA with the collaboration of the police.

The two were then taken to the 10th police district station where a complaint statement was established against the them and the matter forwarded to the state counsel who immediately remanded the two in custody while awaiting trial. The first hearing of the case took place on September 15 and the couple pleaded not guilty. The judge adjourned the matter to September 29 for pleadings to begin in earnest while sending the two back to the Kondengui central prison where they shall be staying for the length of time the case goes on trial. They had asked for provisional liberty that was not granted by the judge.

Mandrills are totally protected by the wildlife law and that is the same with giant pangolins, both species that are threatened with extinction. They face up to 3 years imprisonment and a fine of up to 10 million CFA F or one of the two sanctions. Efforts aimed at targeting the illegal baby primate trade has recently witnessed a surged with four people arrested just under 3 weeks trafficking in baby primates. Two baby chimps were recently rescued in Ebolowa and Djoum following the arrest of traffickers attempting to sell the chimps.

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