On 1 July 2016, two accused persons were sentenced to five years imprisonment after being found guilty of illegal possession of a live pangolin.

One further accused had already been sentenced with five years imprisonment and hard labour in relation to the same incident.

Pangolins are defined as protected animals under the Zambia Wildlife Act, no. 14 of 2015 and illegal possession can be sentenced with five to ten years in prison.

It was alleged that the pangolin had been illegally smuggled from Mozambique and was then transported from Petauke to Monze where a group of five people were accused of attempting to organise a buyer for the live pangolin.

In Monze, Department of National Parks & Wildlife (DNPW) officers intercepted the live pangolin on an undercover sting operation and successfully arrested five people.

DNPW prosecutors brought the case to court.

Pangolins are reported to be the most trafficked animal in the world and global populations are under threat.

Zambia has shown that trafficking of pangolins will not be tolerated and criminals dealing in pangolin will be strictly sentenced.

Release courtesy of Game Rangers International