A Kampala Resident of Liberian Nationality has been sentenced to 63 months in Prison by a court in Newyork.
Kromah was extradited to the United States from Uganda on the 13th of June 2019 for trial. The 190kgs of rhinoceros and 10 tons of elephant Ivory was valued at 3.4 US dollars and 4 Million US dollars respectively and had sold then to buyers in the United States and Countries and Southeast Asia.
Prosecution led by United States District Attorney for South District of Newyork, Damian Williams stated that from at least in or about December 2012 through at least May 2019, Kromah and his two Co-accused conspired to transport distribute sell, and smuggle the said protected wildlife species from or involving various countries in East Africa, including Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Kenya, Mozambique, Senegal and Tanzania to the said buyers.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The protection of endangered wildlife and natural resources remains a crucial and important priority for my Office. Today’s sentence demonstrates that those who are responsible for the decimation of global populations of endangered and threatened animals protected by international agreements will face serious consequences. This case also exemplifies our commitment, together with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration, to work with our international partners to arrest and bring to justice in a U.S. courtroom those who commit these serious crimes abroad.”
In imposing today’s sentence, Judge Woods remarked that he agreed with the Government that a significant sentence was necessary to send a “loud and clear message” that such large-scale wildlife trafficking warrants serious consequences.
According to the charging and other documents filed in the case, as well as statements made in court proceedings:
KROMAH and two of his co-conspirators, AMARA CHERIF, a/k/a “Bamba Issiaka,” a citizen of Guinea, and MANSUR MOHAMED SURUR, a/k/a “Mansour,” a Kenyan citizen, were members of a transnational criminal enterprise (the “Enterprise”) based in Uganda and surrounding countries that were engaged in the large-scale trafficking and smuggling of rhinoceros horns and elephant ivory, both protected wildlife species. A trade involving endangered or threatened species violates several U.S. laws, as well as international treaties implemented by certain U.S. laws.