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Cameroon: Leopard Skin Dealers Arrested
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Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé)
17 April 2008
Posted to the web 17 April 2008
Vincent Gudmia Mfonfu
Douala (Littoral)
Two dealers in protected wildlife species have been arrested in Douala , Littoral Province. They were trying to sell leopard skins and trophies derived from other endangered wildlife species.
The arrest of the leopard skin dealers in Douala was carried out by the Provincial Delegation of Forestry and Wildlife in collaboration with the Forces of Law and Order, the Judiciary and The Last Great Ape Organization (LAGA).
The arrest and prosecution of the leopard skin dealers are part of the implementation of the on-going nation-wide programme launched in 2003 by the Government of Cameroon with technical assistance from LAGA which aims at the effective enforcement of the 1994 wildlife law by actually bringing defaulters to justice. On the strict respect of this law, the Minister of Forestry and Wildlife, Professor Elvis Ngolle Ngolle is quite categorical. _ Cameroon will in no way encourage direct or distant illegal trade in its wildlife heritage. My Ministry is on a renewed alert mode and that mode is to track down and to sanction all those who do not respect the wildlife law; warns Professor Ngolle Ngolle.
It should be noted that sections 101 and 158 of the 1994 wildlife law provides for a prison term of up to 3 years and or payment of a fine of up to 10 million CFA francs for anyone caught in possession of part of dead or live totally protected wildlife species, notably elephants, leopards, lions, chimpanzees and gorillas.
Protecting our wildlife for present and future generations is the responsibility of every Cameroonians. "While the law permits you to enjoy wildlife that same law forbids or prevents you from enjoying it uncontrollably. Those who want to deplete our wildlife species cannot succeed", notes Professor Ngolle Ngolle.
The on-going nation-wide programme on the effective enforcement of the 1994 wildlife law does not target the villagers. "It targets the big fish of the trade who are wealthy and capable of buying their way through corruption", states Ofir Drori, Director of LAGA.
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With the new wildlife law enforcement initiative yielding results that are unique in the sub-region, the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife has succeeded in making Cameroon take the leadership position on wildlife law enforcement in the world.
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