Wildlife trafficking kingpin convicted
The Chief Resident Magistrate’s Court in Lilongwe, yesterday, convicted a Chinese national Yun Hua Lin, for wildlife offences – bringing the number of convicted Chinese nationals to 10 in the last two years.
Justice Violet Chipao, who delivered the judgement in her former capacity as chief resident magistrate, found Lin guilty for dealing with wildlife products (rhino horns) and money laundering. She has set July 19, 2021 for pre-sentencing hearing.
Senior State advocate Pirirani Masanjala, who was present at the court, described the judgement as satisfactory.
He said: “We, the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and law enforcing agencies are satisfied in the way the court has made that decision.”
Yun, who authorities say was the most wanted person, was arrested in August 2019 after a three –month manhunt.
His arrest was widely heralded and regarded as a break through for Malawi’s fight against wildlife crimes.
According to police, Hun was a kingpin of an international syndicate on wildlife crimes.
So far, 13 people believably connected to the syndicate—nine Chinese and 4 Malawian nationals—have received varying prison sentences ranging between a year and 11 years on a variety of offences related to wildlife crimes such as possession of firearms and protected or listed species, including pangolin, rhino horn, hippo teeth, or elephant ivory.
Yun’s wife, (Zhang), is one of the convicts, who is currently serving an 11-year prison sentence. But under the new (2016) wildlife Act sentence for wildlife offences can go up to 30 years.
Records from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife show that since 2018 to date, 194 people have been arrested and convicted for wildlife crimes. Out of this number 20 are Chinese nationals including Yun.
Reacting to Yun’s conviction director for the department responsible for wildlife Brighton Kumchedwa said the new conviction pleases them as it sends “signals to the world how committed Malawi is in dealing with crime.
