The Senior Resident Magistrate Court in Lilongwe has sentenced Jafali Gunde, 41, to 18 months in jail for being found in possession of two elephant bones.
According to Central Region Police spokesperson Nolliettie Chihana Chimala, the court heard that on 10th March police received information from well-wishers that the convict was offering for sale two raw bones of an elephant at Area 23 in the city.
Acting on the tip, the officers from Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at Central Region Police Headquarters teamed up to follow up on the matter.
“Some officers pretended to be potential buyers and approached the convict and in the process an arrest was made,” Chimala said.
A charge of illegal possession of specimen of listed species contrary to section 86 (1) as read with section 110 B (b) of the National Parks and Wildlife Amended Act 2007 was levelled against Gunde to which he pleaded guilty.
The state pleaded for stiff punishment on the offender to deter other would be offenders.
Pronouncing the sentence, Senior Resident Magistrate Shyrene Yona slapped Gunde with 18 months imprisonment with hard labour.
The convict Jafali Gunde hails from Sadi village, Traditional Authority Chamba, Machinga district.
