The Anti-Poaching National Task Force has arrested one person, Boniface Mathew Malyango, famously known as ‘Shetani Hana Huruma’, (Pitiless Devil) whom the prosecution also described as ‘King of Ivory’ in connection with illegal possession of 118 pieces of elephant tusks worth about 2bn/-.
Malyango was arraigned before the Dodoma Resident Magistrate’s Court early this week in a special hearing session to face three different economic crime cases alongside two other accused persons, Abdallah Ally Chonga, alias Babu and Lucas Malyango, alias Ruksa Mponze, alias Shimie.
During the session, the prosecution, led by State Attorneys Paul Kadushi and Salim Msemo, called a number of witnesses to testify against the accused persons. The long sought ‘Shetani’ is charged with other accused persons in Economic Crime Case No. 1/2015 and Economic Crime Case No. 20/2015, which are presided over by Resident Magistrate Erick Fovo, who is Resident Magistrate in-Charge.
While the other Economic Crime Case No. 19/2015, according to the prosecution, is heard by Resident Magistrate Mwajuma Lukindo. ‘Shetani’ and his co-accused were arrested by members of the National Task Force, which runs high profile anti-poaching activities across the country.
In the Economic Crime Case No. 20/2015, the accused persons are jointly and together stand charged with two offences of leading organised crime and unlawful dealing in government trophies.
The prosecution alleges that between January 1, 2009 and October 23, 2015 at diverse places within Dodoma and Dar es Salaam regions, all accused persons jointly and together accepted, transported and sold 118 pieces of elephant tusks valued 1,929,300,000/-, the property of the government.
According to the prosecution, the accused persons had no trophy dealer licence or a permit from the Director of Wildlife. During the hearing, the prosecution paraded three witnesses, namely ASP A.R. Mwakyembe and D. 7321 D/SSGT Jumanne from the National Task Force and one Omary Hussein.
The said witnesses told the court that ‘Shetani Hana Huruma’ was arrested upon concrete evidence which showed that he was among the leading trafficker of elephant tusks running his operations throughout the country.
Several exhibits, including cautioned statement of the second accused person, Ally Abdallah Chaoga @ Babu, Court Exhibit Register, two certificates of seizure and two motor vehicles of Mitsubishi Canter and Toyota Rav 4 makes, all properties of ‘Shetani Hana Huruma’, were tendered as exhibits.