TWO men were sentenced to five years in prison with hard labor for unlawful possession of a live pangolin, prosecutors said. Anthony Musole Musole and Oscar Nyundu pleaded guilty in Mongu Subordinate Court to unlawful possession of a protected animal, contrary to Section 130(1) of the Zambia Wildlife Act No. 14 of 2015, the National

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TWO men were sentenced to five years in prison with hard labor for unlawful possession of a live pangolin, prosecutors said.

Anthony Musole Musole and Oscar Nyundu pleaded guilty in Mongu Subordinate Court to unlawful possession of a protected animal, contrary to Section 130(1) of the Zambia Wildlife Act No. 14 of 2015, the National Prosecution Authority’s Mongu Office said.

The court heard that officers from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife acted on a tip from members of the public. An officer posing as a buyer contacted the pair and arranged a meeting.

On Oct. 28, the two were apprehended at the meeting point in Mongu after a sack carried by one of them was found to contain a live pangolin, prosecutors said.

Neither man could produce a certificate authorizing its possession.

An examination confirmed the pangolin weighed 12 kilograms and had an assessed value exceeding 23,438 kwacha, prosecutors said.

Both men admitted the facts presented to the court and were convicted. After considering their pleas for leniency, the court sentenced them to five years’ imprisonment with hard labor.

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