Elephant Poaching: Arrests, Prosecutions & Sentencing

[Flutterby]

They really are taking over the world!!

[Sprocky]

They really are taking over the world!!

And,...without firing one shot in anger!

[Mel]

What a coincidence with the info above

Emile N'Bouke, Notorious Ivory Trafficker, Arrested In Togo
AP | By By ERICK KAGLAN Posted: 08/07/2013 12:14 pm EDT

LOME, Togo (AP) — A high-profile ivory trafficker whose work activists say has fueled the slaughter of more than 10,000 elephants dating back to the 1970s has been arrested in Togo, the country's environment minister said Wednesday.

The trafficker, Emile N'Bouke, was found to be in possession of 700 kilograms of ivory at the time of his arrest Tuesday afternoon at his shop in Lome, the capital, Dede Ekoue said.

It was the first arrest of its kind in the small West African nation, which has emerged in recent years as a main transit point for ivory bound for Asia and other markets, said Ofir Drori, founder of the Last Great Ape Organization that began investigating N'Bouke late last year.

N'Bouke, 58, was known locally as "The Boss" because of his seniority in the country's ivory trade, which was banned globally in 1989.

Speaking to journalists after his arrest, he said he had been trading ivory since 1983 and had managed to obtain and renew a "special permit" despite the ban.

But Ekoue, the environment minister, said this was untrue, and vowed that Togo would crack down on the ivory trade more aggressively from now on.

"This activity can no longer prosper because the Togolese government is committed to discouraging further action from criminals who use our territory as a platform," she said.




Togo is home to West Africa's only natural deep water port, and Drori said the high volume of shipping makes it easier to transport illicit goods such as ivory.

Last month, more than two tons of ivory hidden in a cargo container at the port was seized in Hong Kong. Last December, some 24 tons of ivory sent from Togo was seized in Malaysia.

Drori said the undercover investigation revealed that N'Bouke had been operating since 1976.

He said that like many large-scale traffickers, N'Bouke was not just a buyer, but was also involved in the financing of poaching activities targeting elephants throughout Central Africa.

N'Bouke's activities likely led to the killing of "dozens of thousands" of elephants, he said.

Drori said he suspects N'Bouke had clients in the United States, something he plans to investigate now that N'Bouke is behind bars.

Under the current law, N'Bouke faces a maximum of one year in prison for his involvement in the ivory trade, Drori said. But he added that he would push authorities to prosecute N'Bouke for other crimes such as money laundering that could lead to a longer sentence.

[Mel]

A 1 year sentence for almost 20 years of illegal ivory trading???

[Flutterby]

[Mel]

Major repeat offender elephant poacher faces just 1 year jail
Posted by Kevin Heath posted on August 14th, 2013 at 2: 38 pm and last updated on August 14th, 2013 at 3: 22 pm

Gabon has announced that it has arrested a major elephant poacher for the third time in 3 years. He was caught with three other accomplices on Sunday with 10 elephant tusks. Despite being a repeat offender and major threat to elephants he faces just 1 year maximum sentence if convicted.

It is another example of laws not keeping pace with the scale and speed of rise of elephant poaching. Just a week ago Togo caught a notorious ivory smuggler responsible for thousands of elephants deaths and he faces just 12 months in jail if convicted.

In Gabon the poacher is Messimo Rodrigue and he has previously been arrested for elephant poaching earlier this year in January and also in 2010. This time he was caught with 10 tusks or the equivalent of another 5 dead elephants.

“Messimo Rodrigue was arrested this Sunday along with three accomplices in possession of 10 elephant tusks weighing a total of 93 kg,” according to the chief prosecutor of Franceville, Gilbert Barangolo, where Rodrigue was arrested.

“He has admitted to being an ivory trafficker,” Barangolo said, adding that the suspect was now in custody.

Luc Mathot, the head of the NGO Conservation Justice, which assists law enforcement authorities and initiated this operation, said that this was the third time Rodrigue was arrested for poaching or trafficking.

“Rodrigue was arrested once in 2010 and again in January this year. He is one of the most notorious wildlife criminals in the country.”

“We sincerely hope there will be no influence peddling or attempts to corrupt the process, and that this time he is severely punished,” Mathot added.

As a repeat offender Rodrique faces a maximum of 12 months in jail or a fine of up to about £26,000.

Bas Huijbregts, the Central African head of WWF’s campaign against illegal wildlife trade, also encouraged Gabon to jail Rodrigue, but also to toughen its anti-poaching and anti-trafficking laws.

“Over the past few years, Gabon has consistently shown itself to be a leader in the battle against wildlife criminality. But its wildlife laws are not stringent enough,” he said.

“The country is preparing to put in place some of the toughest laws in the region against wildlife criminality, creating the legal deterrent needed to stop ivory traffickers. We urge it to do so as soon as possible,” Huijbregts added.

The WWF campaigner also referred to neighbouring Republic of Congo where a similar offence would lead to much longer jail sentences. On Tuesday two wildlife smugglers were sentenced to 5 years each in prison. Repeat offenders there are also liable to have their sentences doubled.

[Mel]

Gabon might be relatively successful in their fight against wildlife crimes,
but it doesn't have any better laws than Togo regarding sentencing for poachers

[Richprins]

http://allafrica.com/stories/201210260445.html





Libreville 2012 — China is determined to widen cooperation with Gabon and boost existing pragmatic relations between the two sides, according to a senior Chinese official on a visit to the Central African country.

The pledge was made at a meeting held Wednesday between Gabonese Prime Minister Raymond Ndong Sima and Ai Ping, deputy head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

Ai hailed the Sino-Gabonese friendship forged by leaders of generations of the two nations, saying it has taken root in the heart of the two peoples.

He pointed out that the friendly exchanges and cooperation between the two nations have yielded abundant fruits.

"In the new international situation, the cooperation between China and Gabon is very essential because the two countries are both engaged in reinforcement of their economies, protection of the environment and improvement of the well-being of their citizens," he said.

China is committed to exploring new forms of cooperation with Gabon under the auspices of China-Africa Cooperation Forum, he added.

On his part, the Gabonese prime minister praised the friendly ties and cooperation between Gabon's ruling party, the Democratic Party of Gabon (PDG), and the CPC.

He expressed appreciation of China's reform policy and decision to open up to the outside world.

In the past 15 years, he said, Chinese companies have increased investment in Gabon, making a great contribution to the Gabonese-Sino economic cooperation.

[nan]

they are everywhere in Africa, the Chinese, like they did in South-East of Asia... and then... all belong to them

About the Togo, one of my client, helped a lot (and still help) a park in Togo... for more than 20 years... but I remember it was so difficult
and maybe now more and more difficult
is the same person who helped babies seals, 30 years ago... and won

[Richprins]

It looks like I hate China, nana, but there is a golden thread that runs through all these things...not difficult to pick up...