Two convicted for Pangolin possession

A Court in Arusha has convicted and sentenced two people to 20 years imprisonment for being found in possession of a live pangolin.

The Arusha Resident Magistrate’s Court heard through a team of prosecutors led by Tarsila Asenga and Getrude William Kariongi from the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA) that Yusuph Athumani Mwangu and Feisal Abdi were on November 15, 2022 arrested at the city’s Uzunguni area attempting to sell the world’s most trafficked mammal.

Their arrest followed a joint operation by TAWA rangers and officers from the regional criminal office.

The team learnt of a trio, travelling from Simanjiro District in Manyara to Arusha town, aboard a Toyota Noah Minibus, being in possession of the male pangolin.

The vehicle was being driven by Alfan Shabani Lugazo, according to the prosecutors.

Appearing in court, both suspects pleaded guilty to the charge that led to their conviction of criminal crime number 8 of 2022, save for the driver who denied the charge.

“The driver said he had no knowledge that he was carrying a Pangolin in his car,” said Ms Asenga.

The vehicle in question has since been used as an exhibit in the case while the driver was due to appear in court today to answer the charge.

Pangolins are among the world’s most trafficked mammals and they are mainly targeted for their scales which are believed to treat a variety of health conditions in traditional Chinese medicine.

Upon sensing danger pangolins usually curl into a ball, using their scales as a defense mechanism.

Their scales are made of keratin, the structural protein found in hair, skin and nails. Pangolin meat is also considered a delicacy in some countries.

The demand for pangolins in some countries in Asia and Africa is high for traditional medicine and for their meat while their scales are roasted for medicinal purposes as it is for rhino horns, pushing their demand to increase dramatically.

Research has found that pangolin prices are on the rise, fetching upwards of $600 per kilogram today in comparison to $14 per kilogram during the 1990s.

Scales processed for use in traditional medicine are roasted or dried, fetching almost three times the price in retail shops.

Much of this trade is illegal as regulations issued by the state in 2007 restrict the use of pangolin scales to clinical applications at certain hospitals only.

Similarly, only 209 medical companies are licensed to use the species in the manufacture of patented Chinese medicine.