Posted on 14 August
2013 | Libreville, Gabon: A wildlife trafficker
believed to be responsible for the death
of hundreds of elephants was arrested for
the third time in as many years in Gabon
this weekend.
This is a unique opportunity
for Gabonese authorities to show they are
serious about ending wildlife criminality
by ensuring this alleged trafficker is punished
to the full extent of the law.
“Messimo Rodrigue was
arrested this Sunday along with three accomplices
in possession of 10 elephant tusks weighing
a total of 93 kg,” according to the chief
prosecutor of Franceville, Gilbert Barangolo,
where Rodrigue was arrested.
“He has admitted to
being an ivory trafficker,” Barangolo said,
adding that the suspect was now in custody.
Luc Mathot, the head
of the NGO Conservation Justice, which assists
law enforcement authorities and initiated
this operation, said that this was the third
time Rodrigue was arrested for poaching
or trafficking.
“Rodrigue was arrested
once in 2010 and again in January this year.
He is one of the most notorious wildlife
criminals in the country.”
“We sincerely hope there
will be no influence peddling or attempts
to corrupt the process, and that this time
he is severely punished,” Mathot added.
As he has already been
sentenced for wildlife trafficking, if convicted,
Rodrigue faces up to a year in prison and
a CFA 20 million (USD 40’400; Euro 30’500)
fine.
In comparison, on Tuesday
in neighboring Republic of Congo, two wildlife
traffickers were sentenced to five years
in jail for the same crime. Repeat offenders
there also see their sentence double.
Bas Huijbregts, the
Central African head of WWF’s campaign against
illegal wildlife trade, also encouraged
Gabon to jail Rodrigue, but also to toughen
its anti-poaching and anti-trafficking laws.
“Over the past few years,
Gabon has consistently shown itself to be
a leader in the battle against wildlife
criminality. But its wildlife laws are not
stringent enough,” he said.
“The country is preparing
to put in place some of the toughest laws
in the region against wildlife criminality,
creating the legal deterrent needed to stop
ivory traffickers.”
“We urge it to do so
as soon as possible,” Huijbregts added.
Rising demand for ivory
– especially in East and South East Asia
– has led to an epidemic of poaching in
Congo Basin. According to a study released
in February this year, nearly two thirds
of Central Africa’s forest elephants were
killed between 2002 and 2012.
