Malawi Court Sentences Chinese Ivory Smuggler To Two Years At Hard Labor -ENS

[hatrack]

LILONGWE, Malawi, September 29, 2014 (ENS) – A Malawi judge Friday convicted Chinese business national Axin Shang, 25, of ivory trafficking and fined him the maximum allowed by law, MK1 million (US$2,440). In default, he must serve two years in prison at hard labor. The magistrate recommended that the Home Affairs and Internal Security Ministry deport Shang, and ordered that the contraband, 50 kilograms of elephant ivory worked into 2,700 cubes, be forfeited to the Government of Malawi.

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Prosecutor Mangani asked the court for a stiff penalty, saying, “The elephants killed were Malawi’s natural heritage. Your Honour, Malawians are experiencing a great decline of the elephant population, a development that is threatening the eco-tourism industry, by people like the accused.” “The accused are milking a thin cow and feeding an already fat cow. This is a well planned, executed and concealed offense. We commend the diligence of our officers on duty. The accused person should be given a punishment of not less than the value of the contraband which is US$25,000 (MK10 million),” argued Mangani.

Passing judgment on Friday morning, Presiding Senior Resident Magistrate Chisomo Msokera declared Nyirenda not guilty and convicted Shang on his own guilty plea. Magistrate Msokera said the court had to pass a sentence that reflected the public’s interest in deterring other would be offenders.

“I find it not agreeable for the accused to say that he did not know what he was doing was an offense of such a serious nature,” said the magistrate. “I therefore, sentence you, Axin Shang, to pay a fine of MK1,000,000 and in default to serve an imprisonment sentence of two years with hard labor.”

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http://ens-newswire.com/2014/09/28/malawi-court-convicts-chinese-ivory-trafficker/

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

1. 50 kilos of elephant ivory, and all he gets is a

slightly less than $2500 fine before he went into 'default'? I think they need to seriously up their laws. I agree with the prosecutor, the minimum ought to be at least the value of the smuggled contraband, and ideally far more. Pitiful fines like that are merely a 'cost of doing business' and not going to stop smuggling or poachers.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Hope every day in prison will seem like an eternity for this greedy monster. n/t