A court in Zomba has sentenced a 28-year-old man to 18 years in prison for killing a rhino called Jabesi.
The Zomba Chief Resident Magistrate Court also sentenced two other men to 10 and 8 years imprisonment because they helped the poacher keep the rhino’s horns.
The poacher is Esau Billy while the other men are Aaron Billy Masaka, 56, and Lloyd Shaibu aged 21.
State Prosecutor Senior Superintendent Dickens Mwambazi told the court that Esau Billy and two others who are at large, on 9th July, 2017 killed a black rhino nicknamed Jabes at Liwonde National Park.
Billy then took the horns to his father Aaron Billy Masaka before taking it to his cousin Lloyd Shaibu who kept them in a deep freezer while they were looking for a market.
And on 12th July, rangers discovered the missing of the rhino as it was not located through their devices and reported the matter to their office.
The following day African Park officials started searching it using a helicopter and the signal was located at St. Marys Trading Centre at Ntaja in a shop of Lloyd Shaibu.
After noticing this, the officials reported the matter to Ntaja Police who went to search in the said shop and the rhino horns were found kept in a deep freezer wrapped in black plastic papers.
During the raid, Police also recovered 25 live ammunitions and an assault rifle AK47 which was used to kill the rhino that is valued at MKW54, 672, 466.
Following this, the three were arrested and Esau Billy was charged with six counts while Aaron Billy Masaka and Lloyd Shaibu were charged with three counts each.
Esau Billy was charged with dealing in government trophy which is contrary to section 91(1) as read with section 110(B), being found in possession of enlisted species which is contrary to section 86)1) as read with section 110(B), entering a protected area without authority which contrary to section 32(1) as read with section 108(a), killing listed species without authority which is contrary to section 35(a) as read with section 108, possession of a prohibited weapon without authority contrary to section 16(2) of Fire Arms Act and conveying a prohibited weapon into the National Park contrary to section 33(1) as read with section 110(A)(d) which are all under National Parks and Wildlife Act.
Aaron Billy Masaka and Lloyd Shaibu were all charged with three counts which are dealing in government trophy, possession of a listed species and failure to report or surrender government trophy which are against sections in National Parks and Wildlife Act
The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges except Lloyd Shaibu who pleaded guilty to some of the charges levelled against him but the three were found guilty of all charges after the state paraded witnesses.
In his submission before sentence, Senior Superintendent Dickens Mwambazi asked the court to impose a stiff sentence to the convicts. He said, Malawi’s rhino population became officially extinct in 1992, significantly due to poaching like what the three did.
In their mitigation, the three asked the court not to give them stiff sentences as they are first offenders and that they have families to look after.
Chief Resident Magistrate for the Eastern Region Texious Masoamphambe said the offence committed is a serious one as it attracts a maximum penalty of a fine of MK15, 000,000 and to imprisonment for thirty years.
He therefore sentenced Esau Billy to 18 years imprisonment with hard labour for dealing in government trophies, 18 years for being found in possession of listed species without licence, 18 months for entering into a protected area without permit, 18 months for killing a listed species without authority, 10 years for possession of a prohibited weapon without authority and 18 years for conveying a prohibited weapon into a National Park.
Masoamphambe sentenced Aaron Billy Masaka to 10 years for the first count of dealing in government trophies and 10 years for the second count of being found in possession of listed species without licence. Masaka was also sentenced to 30 months imprisonment with hard labour for failing to report or surrender government trophy.
Lloyd Shaibu was sentenced to 8 years for the first count of dealing in government trophy, 7 years for the second count of being found in possession of enlisted species without licence and 18 months for failing to report or surrender government trophy.
The sentences are to run concurrently which means Esau Billy will spend 18 years behind bars while Aaron Billy Masaka and Lloyd Shaibu will serve 10 and 8 years respectively.
The court further ordered that the recovered items be forfeited to the government for disposal while deep freezer which was used to keep the horns has been given to Liwonde National Park.
Amene ya rabbi
There was no interigent
a wild animal mpaka dzina or?
I would have preferred if they’d cut his nose off and let him bleed to death! Hope he does in prison the garbage he is!
this aint justice…
Those that Killed Issa Njauju are still putting up with APM ku State House. … Mulungu aumvere chisoni mzimu wa mkulu wanga Marhoom Issa Njauju
What about if u kill a small Zebra? how many years behind the bars?
Wopha kapena kupezeka ndi ziwalo za anzathu ma albino mukanati muziwatero bwenzi achipongwewa atasiya khalidwe lonyasali. Ndiyekha yo oweruza waku Mzuzu anayesesa kulanga mfitizi. Woweruza wapanga za chipembereyunso/rhino mwinatupange assign kuza anthuzi.
Rhinho? R.E.N.A.U.T
unfair.
Gud example ndi chaponda.anaba ma bilion and zina a ACB adachita kukamulandako but luk at the end akt chaponda is a free man alibe m’landu which means ndende ndi za anthu osauka
Koma kumeneko
Mpaka 8yrs ndebola kupha albino?
Thats fair enough,Let hm to knw God
Hahahaha
Ovala suti pa bwalo la milandu amapatsidwa chigamulo chochepa koma ovala zapakaunjika chigamulo mtolo abale ukametanso ka blush zonse boo koma dziko ili
No justice in the world
Why Jabesi …..Gone too soon. …
Koma anapopa opha alubino 2years why Malawi?
18 years?
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#team jabes# what a world!
18 years kungopha nyama koma kupha munthu mzako zaka ziwiri
zikuonesa ngat mlandu ndoopsa kuposa ogwlilira
So -called Judges.
Kkkkkkk chamba
these lazy bones shud have been caged for 30 yrs.out of all the available sources of money u thought killing a rhino would get u out of poverty, foolish fools.
Jabesi was a fellow drunkard maybe kkkkkkk thts why pipo are saying R.I.P Jabesi
Pena muzilemba chichewa kut a2 azomvesa khanizi kkkkkkkk nanga taonani kupha chipembele akut muthu akakhale moyo wake onse ku ndende?
RIP Jabesi my grand kids won’t be able to meet you all because of this heartless man
ambuye akuona zonsezi nawo ogamula milandu chinyengo bax nanuso muzalangidwa for sure #jabesi ndikachaniso mxiiiiii
Nanu inu even 18 yrs its less.
mmmh osamangot chilikwanzako ndizambiri boss
In short, Billy sentenced to 28 years IHL for killing Jabesi
Kkkkkkkkk Billy Kills Jabesi lol
Hahahaha palibe showing sempathy apa he went by himself to search to search for 18 years behind bars all the best man see you when you’re back
While chaponda is free out there!wonders shall never end!!!
Bwanj tikapha chitete sumutimanga,zazii zokhzkha
@shalom so wht???hit me on inbox
Amawona ngati udolo.Nyama imeneyo ndiyotetezedwa kwambiri.Owononga mitengo plz do the same. If madzi sakutuka& magesi sakuyaka chifukwa chakutha kwa mitengo.
this idiot deserved a life sentence…Imagine nkhanza zomwe akumachitila nyama zosalakwa 🙁
You are idiot #1.coz you don’t even know what u r saying.
zoona
Ma Judge Apa Fb Amene Mukuti Akanampatsa Life Sentence nu Mwaimvetsetsa Nkhaniyi?Kapena Chizungu Chakuzungulilani?Ndikudabwa Nanu.
Jabesi wasokoneza mitu kkkkkkkk! Akuyesa ndi chimwa mowa nzawo.
Hahahaha #masautso dnt mek me laf laf kkkkkkkk
Kkkkmmmm koma Masautso ur funny……So this is murder coz Jabesi is a fellow drunkard? Hhgaha
Kkkk Nanenso Ndadabwa Nazo Aaaah
Nanga atani ndi umoyo? Dollar basi
Zazii Mukukhala Ngat Wapha Munthu Bwa?Kumukhumba Eti?Muzaziona Nanunso Moto Umapita Kwatsala Tchire.
Rest in peace Jabesi..
Jabesi is aname of a rhino killed by the sentenced man.
I know.
Kkkkkkkk♥♥♥♥♥
Kkkkkkk
20 years was right for that idiot.
No truth in this world dont wory very soon it shall be judged to u also
Malawi tayamba kutengela malamulo achizungu why nyama mukuipatsa chitetezo chokwanila than human
This is hatch punishment.
Amadziwa kuti akamanga mphawi azigwira ntchito za prison koma Kumumanga Chaponda azikangokhala kundende nkumadya. Dziko ndilokondera.
mmm its too much
Sizoona ndiosauka ameneyo dziko limakondela zaka zosezo
And those who defile little girls get 8 years?? This doesn’t make sense though
Kkkkkkkkk nyama zulutiposatu ati,,,,,
Life In Prison Ameneyo Nanga Akuba Chimanga Kuzambia Anduna Akale Ambuye Akuwona.
Give him life sentence,,,
For wat u twat
Anthu Enanu Munalengedwa Bwanji Mumasangalala Nzanu Akapeza Vuto?Ali M’bale Wako Kapena Iweyo Ungamve Bwa?Nyama Yakuthengoyo Ngati Wapha Munthu?Muziganiza.
Mfiti Uyu
@so what ,,,,so Yu mean if someone poaching,,,,animals they must protected by the law ,,,especially games,parks ,,,this animals is part of tourism in Malawi,,,get it or not or of Yu are against me ,,,y’all idionts ,,,,
So the name of the Rhino was Jabesi?
Yes its nickname
m mmm anthu opha albino mkumupasa 6 yrs opha chinyama yamutchire 18 yrs what is that? mmm????
And a rapist gets 14 yrs
Maybe the difference is Killing and Raping
It should be life in prison