Farmers under utilized telecentres to market produce

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Malawi Court Convicts Chinese Ivory Trafficker

 

By Charles Mkoka

LILONGWE, Malawi, September 29, 2014 (ENS) - A Malawi judge Friday convicted Chinese business national Axin Shang, 25, of ivory trafficking and fined him the maximum allowed by law, MK1 million (US$2,440). In default, he must serve two years in prison at hard labor.

The magistrate recommended that the Home Affairs and Internal Security Ministry deport Shang, and ordered that the contraband, 50 kilograms of elephant ivory worked into 2,700 cubes, be forfeited to the Government of Malawi.

Shang, an employee at the Golden Peacock Hotel in Lilongwe, attempted to export the ivory without a valid permit, in violation of Malawi's National Parks and Wildlife Act.

Malawi is a Party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species that lists elephants in Appendix I, as an endangered species. Commercial trade of wildlife in this categoy is banned except in exceptional circumstances.

Levison Mangani, the Central Region assistant commissioner of police responsible for prosecution, told the court the offense was discovered on September 16 when officers from Kamuzu International Airport were screening goods at Air Cargo.

"Two officers, namely Sergeant Jones Kadanika and Constable Jane Banda, came across a certain consignment, which was described as nine wooden boards. When scanned through the electronic device the results showed something other than wood as indicated on the airway bill," said Mangani.

The two officers seized the shipment and took it to another electronic screening device at the passenger terminal. There they found that each of the nine boards concealed 300 pieces of worked ivory cubes, he said.

"Your worship, our officers started to track the owner through the global logistics service delivery DHL documents. It was discovered that the shipper was Mark Nyirenda sending ivory disguised as wooden boards to China. The airway bill number 1964394176 showed a payment of MK721,800 was made as shipping charges for air express to China," a concerned Mangani told the packed court room.

Mangani testified that Nyirenda was summoned by airport police and arrested. Under questioning Nyirenda told detectives that he was sent by his bosses at the Golden Peacock Hotel.

This led to the arrest of Shang, who admitted he wanted to export the worked ivory to a friend in China. In court, Shang, through an intepreter, admitted to the prosecutor’s version of the facts.

Nyirenda said in court that while he agreed with the prosecutor's presentation, he did not know the contents of the boxes when he was told by his superiors to send them through DHL.

Prosecutor Mangani asked the court for a stiff penalty, saying, "The elephants killed were Malawi’s natural heritage. Your Honour, Malawians are experiencing a great decline of the elephant population, a development that is threatening the eco-tourism industry, by people like the accused."

"The accused are milking a thin cow and feeding an already fat cow. This is a well planned, executed and concealed offense. We commend the diligence of our officers on duty. The accused person should be given a punishment of not less than the value of the contraband which is US$25,000 (MK10 million)," argued Mangani.

Passing judgment on Friday morning, Presiding Senior Resident Magistrate Chisomo Msokera declared Nyirenda not guilty and convicted Shang on his own guilty plea.

Magistrate Msokera said the court had to pass a sentence that reflected the public’s interest in deterring other would be offenders.

"I find it not agreeable for the accused to say that he did not know what he was doing was an offense of such a serious nature," said the magistrate. "I therefore, sentence you, Axin Shang, to pay a fine of MK1,000,000 and in default to serve an imprisonment sentence of two years with hard labor."

In his ruling, Magistrate Msokera commented that the language of the National Parks and Wildlife Act is ambiguous and recommended that Parliament "consider reviewing the punishment provisions in the Act."

Lilongwe Wildlife Trust Manager Jonathan Vaughan, a campaigner against the illicit ivory trade, welcomed the ruling as the maximum fine. But he lamented that the existing legal framework for penalties has a lot of limitations.

Vaughan called for a speedy review of the legislation to seal gaps and loopholes for effective enforcement. He said the German Technical Cooperation Agency is partnering with governments and nongovernmental organizations to curb illegal wildlife trade in elephant ivory and rhino horn across Africa and Asia.

 

 

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Synchronised marches for animals welfare in Lilongwe

By  Charles Mkoka

Time flies up next is October where last year we had the Elephant march that spelt out the cries from the wilderness and the passionate conservationists’ voices. Rampant elephant poaching for ivory has migrated from subsistence to top notch commercial standard the placards and banners among the marchers told it all.

This year other than the global march for elephant and Black Rhino slated for the 4^th of October. It will be preceded by the World Animal March. The Department of Animal Health and Livestock Development in conjunction with its key stakeholders will for the first time this year commemorate the World Animal Day (WAD) on 2nd October 2014 at Civo upper stadium, in Lilongwe under the theme: “Animals matter-Malawi”.  The focus therefore is looking at both the marchers that seem to share common interest both at domesticated and wild species welfare that matter to human beings.

In the first place we look at domestic animals as a central feature of our lives. Many of the animals we share this planet suffer as a result of human exploitation. Most animals are raised as food or clothing, reared, and sometimes die in the most extreme forms of confinement, never experiencing even the slightest bit of kindness or mercy. Animals used for medical experiments and product testing live often painful, lonely lives in small cages from birth to death. Wild animals lose their lives as habitats disappear; they are hunted for their trophies. Pet animals are bought in large numbers as furniture; many are kept in inadequate conditions, and discarded when owners grow tired of them.

WAD aims at celebrating animal life, their relationship to mankind and their diverse roles in our lives.  This day is therefore traditionally celebrated annually all over the world to improve awareness on roles animals play to the human race.

The gist of the matter is that while humans champion rights issues amongst themselves. It is high time that such rights are also extended to animals, if the level playing field is to be equal. There are no two ways about it that animals just like humans have the capacity to both suffer and feel pleasure. Their physiological capacity to experience these sensations is virtually identical to our own.

This is typical the same situation that Elephants and Black Rhinos in our protected areas have found themselves in. The escalating level of commercial poaching has led to the decimation of species that have now become endangered. No wonder a march to voice out the concerns that wildlife species are experiencing is to take place on the 4^th of October.  A petition expressing concerns on the level of illicit trade in ivory and rhino while be presented to authorities.

The campaign advocates the ban on all international and domestic trade, but also destroying ivory stockpiles. The global march also intends to raise awareness in investing in anti-poaching and broader enforcement training. One other concern is also the need to strengthen and implement strict penalties on all culprits that are meted on all individuals involved in illegal wildlife trade through the judicial system.

The issue of light penalties meted on culprits apprehended in wildlife trafficking has been a growing concern among conservationists lately. This has resulted in foreign national’s especially Chinese taking advantage of weak legislation to capitalise illicit deeds in perpetrating wildlife related cases.
This resulted in the formation of  multi-agency taskforce comprising enforcement institutions  set up to crackdown and abate the skyrocketing cases of wildlife crime in a bid to save endangered and rare species of fauna.

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Two more Chinese, Malawian netted in illicit ivory

By Charles Mkoka

LILONGWE, Malawi - Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) last Wednesday intercepted nine wooden boxes stacked with pieces of worked ivory destined to China through the global logistics delivery express DHL by a Malawian middle man name Mark Nyirenda, a Lilongwe resident based in Area 18.

The contents that were being shipped to China surprised KIA security detail during baggage check after they reached the electronic scanning device. In no time the Police did not hesitate but called for the expertise advice of a wildlife specialist, Senior Assistant Parks and Wildlife Officer, Miles Zidana. He confirmed that the contents packed in the wooden boxes were indeed pieces of worked ivory weighing 50 kilograms. The beneficiary of the illicit goods was Axanga, Veniiane Nantha; Lao, China under Airway Bill number 1964394176.

But upon hearing that the contents of the consignment needed verification the local middle man Nyirenda escaped from the premises, but his details on the airway bill helped investigators to track his whereabouts. It was later revealed that the owners of the ivory are two Chinese nationals working at the state of the art Golden Peacock Hotel in Lilongwe. The two nationals were immediately arrested and are waiting to appear in court soon after being granted police bail.

Meanwhile, following concerns that have been raised through the multi agency taskforce on low fines and sentences meted on traffickers recently. The case has been moved to a magistrate of higher jurisdiction at Chief Resident Magistrate Lilongwe premises.

The case file has been handed over to the Central Regional Prosecution team according to Assistant Director of Parks and Wildlife, Samuel Nyanyale. “The suspects will appear in court on Thursday,” Regional Prosecutor, Levi Mangani confirmed in an interview on Wednesday.

Lilongwe Wildlife Centre Manager, Jonathan Vaughan said recently that there is a need to sensitize citizens and airport staff that KIA is being frequently targeted by criminals trading in ivory and other wildlife artefacts as an exit route to the outside world.

He expressed worry at the pace Chinese nationals are being connected to the cases of illegal ivory in the country. The Malawians middle men are simply being used to decimated elephant populations in the country and this is very unfortunate indeed.

The arrest comes at a time when conservationists are planning to join a global march on elephants and ivory in Lilongwe on 3 October, 2014.

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Social media for development to spur agri-business in Africa

By Charles Mkoka

LILONGWE, Malawi  - Technological innovation taking place at breath-taking is expected to spur Africa's agri-business initiatives at grassroots through the use of  simple, open source internet-based applications and services designed to enhance on-line collaboration to the wider public at little or no cost By utilising remotely located telecentres established in rural areas   farmers will now  collaborate to create, share and publish information on various farm products to reach out to distant markets.

 

This was disclosed during a  week long training session on web 2.0 and social media for development in Lilongwe, to build capacity in agriculturalists, communicators and sector related experts to embrace social media for development to enhance agriculture and food security for the betterment of Africa.

 

Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation that financially supported initiative in collaboration with Malawi National Library Services that facilitated the programme disclosed  this innovation can be used to advance agriculture interventions for the betterment of fsrmers.

This is inline with the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) in fullfilling one of it's most important pillars 'Market Access," while enhancing information sharing among farmers. CAADP vision is to increase market access through improved rural infrastructure and other trade-related interventions.

 

Malawi has scores of telecentres that are scattered in remote areas of the country, farmers can reach to as many clients as possible and engage in trade agreements in farm produce such as maize, beans, bananas including vegetables. More over, those involved in value addition such as Bee-Keeping for instance can as well be able to link with potential clients faster and bargain on better prices using affordable communication means.

Gray Nyali, National Librarian took time to read some of the recommendations by the participants who called the organisers to add more trainers to the sessions. They were also additional calls to improve internet bandwith connectivity to ensure that practicals are done efficiently.

Nyali added that as a service provider they have tried their best to ensure that they get the best connectivity, but challenges are inevitable at times in the field of information technology. He promised improvements in future sessions and agreed with the participants that time was indeed not enough pledging that as a resource provider they will continue to offer the best.

He urged articipants to subscribe to CTA periodicals and promised to improve the nature of the services offered especially in the field of agriculture, being the backbone of the country. 

 

By actively enganging players in agriculture and rural development, natural resource management, biodiversity conservation in the domains of Information Communication Technology for development (ICT4D), policies, markets; publishing, communication and media. These can pay off dividends to the masses on the ground.

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