Elephant tusks
Dar es Salaam. An officer with the National Service -- a wing of the Tanzania People’s Defence Forces -- Mr Selemani Isanzu Chasama, was yesterday charged at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court with fresh case involving export of elephant tusks worth Sh9.3 billion.Earlier, Mr Chasama appeared before the Court on Tuesday for allegedly being found in possession of trophies worth $2.6 million (Sh4.2 billion), property of the government.
He appeared before resident magistrate Sundi Fimbo. The accused, however, was not allowed to enter any plea because the case is filed under the Economic Crimes Act, which is to be tried by the High Court.
The prosecution side, led by senior state attorney Tumaini Kweka, alleged that the accused was arrested on 23 May this year near the Tanzania and Malawi boarder, exporting a total of 781 elephant tusks worth Sh9.3 billion. According to prosecution, the elephant tusks were hidden in bags of cement.
The accused allegedly committed the offence contrary to Section 86(1)(2)(ii) and 3 of the Wildlife Conservation Act number 5 of 2009 read together with paragraph 14(d) of the first schedule to and Section 57(1) and 60(2) both of Economic and Organised Crime Act Cap 200 Revised Edition 2002.
If the accused will be convicted, the sentence carries no less than 15 years jail term or any other punishment, according to the law. Mr Kweka asked the Court to give another date for mentioning because investigations of the matter were not yet complete. The date given was 20 July.
