They face two months’ imprisonment. The antique dealers Goumba Mbaye, El Hadji Fallou Mor Beye, and Cissé were arrested for selling jewelry, bracelets, and necklaces of elephant ivory. The deliberation is expected on 24 February.
Antique dealers were arrested in Kermel market with prohibited products on February 10, likely face two months in prison. Messrs Goumba Mbaye, El Hadji Fallou Cisse Mor Beye and attractions were yesterday in the District Court Bar Dakar. They are charged with detention, circulation, and marketing trophies of protected species. Their arrest is part of information from the Head of the Division of National Parks Wildlife, citing an extensive network of traffic of elephant ivory in the marketplace in the heart of the capital.
After spinning, the Research Brigade of the elements got their hands on one of the traffickers who will denounce others later. To flush out the sellers, an order of 40 bracelets from elephant ivory was placed via phone to Mr Goum-ba Mbaye. By going to the restaurant, instead of appointment, he was accompanied by El Hadji Fallou Beye, also in possession of his goods. Both will be arrested. Taken to the canteen—where Goumba had been seen at the time of spinning—articles of ivory, teeth warthog, and hippo were seized and the owner of the canteen, Mor Cissé, will in turn be arrested. “I know that the sale of ivory is prohibited, but the products I sell were made well before the conventions prohibiting it. I thought that the law takes into account that the ancient ivory is in fact art,” defended Mor Cissé. All recognize the charges against them but deny having crafted bracelets, ivory jewelry.
The Directorate of Water and Forests, which is a civil party, called for the sum of five million CFA francs by way of damages and interests. The prosecutor requested, meanwhile, two months’ imprisonment against the defendants. In turn, the defense asked the extremely benevolent application of the law. The case is under advisement until February 24 next.