Man arrested for possessing ivory
At a time the country has heightened campaigns against wildlife crime, some unscrupulous Malawians continue to pry the illegal trade at the expense of the already deteriorating wildlife species.
The observation comes after police in Mzuzu over the weekend arrested Aubrey Tchali for being found in possession of ivory.
Police Spokesperson for Mzuzu, Cecilia Mfune, confirmed the arrest on Monday, saying the suspect was found with 16.6 kilogrammes of ivory and 800 grammes of hippo teeth.
She said Tchali was on the day hawking the illegal items to a businessperson of Asian origin in the city.
“After receiving information on the alleged deal, officers from the Criminal Investigations Department rushed to the scene where they arrested him and recovered the products,” said Mfune.
The offence, according to Mfune, contravenes Section 86 (1) of Wildlife Act, which prohibits possession or trade of any specimen of protected species.
Meanwhile, the suspect is in police custody pending trial on a soon-to-be announced date.
Tchali, aged 35 years, comes from Mwaphachi Village in Traditional Authority Wasambo in Karonga District.
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