Businessperson fined K22m for ivory

Blantyre Senior Resident Magistrate’s Court has ordered a Malawian businessperson of Asian origin to pay K22 million or in default serve 10 years imprisonment for illegal possession of foreign currency and processed ivory.

Sanjay Yashan, who was answering charges of illegal possession of foreign currency contrary to Section 25 of the Exchange Control Regulation and illegal possession of listed species contrary to Section 86 (1) of National Parks and Wildlife Act, pleaded not guilty.

The prosecuting witnesses told the court that the accused, 58, on April 11 2018 was found with $14 031, 2 770 South African rands, and 100 British pound at his shop in Limbe and at his residential house in Mapanga without supporting documentation from the Reserve Bank of Malawi.

“Further search by fiscal police led to the discovery of 11 pieces of processed ivory weighing 14.8 kilogrammes valued at K22 792 000 without authorisation from National Parks and Wildlife,” said the prosecution.

Senior resident magistrate Peter Kandulu slapped Yashan with a K150 000 fine or  in default to serve 14 months in prison for the first count and slapped him with a K22 792 000  fine or in default to serve 10 years in prison, for the second count.

The court ordered that the foreign currency be paid back to the convict upon payment of the two fines.