Three Tanzanians jailed 20 years for possessing ivory
What you need to know:
- The ruling was issued on Wednesday August 15 by Magistrate Ismael Ngaile to the accused Paul Ryoba (38) Petro Mikwabe (42) and Yagara Mang’era (31).
Serengeti. The Serengeti district resident magistrate court has sentenced three people to 20 years jail each after being found guilty of possessing two pieces of ivory worth Sh33 million.
The ruling was issued on Wednesday August 15 by Magistrate Ismael Ngaile to the accused Paul Ryoba (38) Petro Mikwabe (42) and Yagara Mang’era (31).
Magistrate Ngaile set free three others who were accused in the same case. They were Mwita Masero (51), Joseph Masero (49) and George Samwel (44) who is musician. These were found innocent.
Reading the judgement, magistrate Ngaile said the convicts were found guilty of entering the national park and hunting without permits as well as possessing the national trophies illegally.
“From the first crime, everyone will serve in prison for one year, on the second crime they will be in prison for five years and the last one each of them will serve 20 years in jail. All the punishments go together therefore in total every one of them will be in jail for 20 years,” he said.
In their defense, the convicts asked the court to have mercy on them on grounds that they had families to take care of.
They were arrested on January 13, 2017 in Serengeti national part in Serengeti district Mara region.
