Crackdown on wildlife crimes!

If there is something Malawians should be proud of, it is how government has brought down a cartel of wildlife traffickers that has been terrorising the country in the past few years, denting the image of the country as well as threatening the future of tourism. A few days ago, the most wanted man—believed to be a kingpin of an international ring of wildlife traffickers—Yun Hua Lin was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment. With this highly sought conviction, is Malawi winning the war against wildlife crimes? SUZGO CHITETE reports.

There are cases in the courts that have taken years to conclude. There are also police investigations that have taken forever. These trends usually erode public confidence in these institutions. It is indeed frustrating, especially when one considers that corruption distorts the flow of justice.

But if there is an area where both the police and the Judiciary deserve commendation, it is how they have managed wildlife related cases. In the last four years, these State institutions, have moved with impressive speed.

Wildlife crimes in Malawi had become so pervasive that stories of foreigners or locals getting arrested after being found in possession of illegal wildlife products were quite common. What was even more worrying was the involvement of foreigners, especially Chinese who seemed to be connected to an international ring of wildlife traffickers.

The crimes, according to one police investigator, had become dangerous because the foreigners, who connive with locals, have the weaponry (firearms) used for poaching as well as to attack anyone who wants to disturb them. They also have the money to manipulate the justice system.

In 2019 alone, 12 nationals of China were arrested for wildlife related offences, the highest number of Chinese arrested in Malawi for the offences in a year. Records from the Department of Parks and Wildlife showed that in 2017 and 2018, four were arrested—two in each year.
These arrests sent a strong message on how determined the Malawi Government was to crack down on wildlife crimes—which cost the country its reputation.

In 2019, the arrest of one Yun Hua Lin, 46, a Chinese who authorities said was one of the “the most wanted persons” and believed to be a kingpin of an international wildlife trafficking network, was a breakthrough.
Yun was arrested after months of manhunt and police confiscated wildlife species and guns, with hundreds of ammunitions allegedly supplied by Yun for poaching. This is how deep the wildlife syndicate had gone.

In 2015, the government of Malawi commissioned the country’s first Illegal Wildlife Trade Review which exposed several gaps. It revealed the nature and extent of the challenges faced; weak legislation, poor law enforcement and high levels of corruption as among the reasons that exposed Malawi to both local criminals and international trafficking syndicates.
In fact, in 2016, Malawi was confirmed as southern Africa’s main transit route for wildlife traffickers.

Besides the massive arrests made between 2018 and 2019, government and development partners had taken interest to improve the capacity of the Department of Parks and Wildlife and other law enforcing agencies based on a review conducted in 2015.
Following these efforts, in 2019 Malawi was stripped of the bad name; the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora delisted Malawi as one of the countries of primary concern on illegal wildlife crimes.

Records from the Department of Parks and Wildlife show that since 2018, 194 people have been arrested and convicted for wildlife crimes. Out of this total, 20 are Chinese, including Yun.
While locals arrested for these offences may have been many, authorities particularly feared the Chinese involvement because of their financial muscle and connections to the international ring.

In a statement released after Yun’s arrest the US embassy said: “The US Embassy is keenly following related cases involving foreign nationals, and we remain dedicated to our partnership with Malawian officials to stamp out illegal wildlife trade in the country, region, and the world,” reads a statement from the US Embassy released after Yun’s arrest.
With funding from the US government, Malawi established its first Wildlife Detection Dog Unit in August 2018. The US support to Malawi’s wildlife protection totals over K26 billion over the past seven years.

In an earlier interview in 2019, Deputy Chinese Ambassador Wang Xiusheng expressed concern over increased incidences of wildlife crime involving his country’s nationals, saying they are doing their part to help fight illegal wildlife trade.
He said: “We have always asked our people to be law-abiding. I know some Chinese nationals are involved, for example, the Kingpin [Lin] who was recently arrested. But it is just a small number—not every Chinese is involved.

“Most of our people are doing so many good things in this country. But we are concerned and we will continue working with government of Malawi to stop this.”

But all these arrests would not mean anything if the Judiciary had not moved with speed. Several people, including 10 Chinese, are serving varying sentences for wildlife crimes. Both Yun’s wife, Zhang, and their daughter are also serving an 11 years sentence for wildlife related offences.
Department director Brighton Kumchedwa believes that Malawi is winning the war against wildlife crimes.
He said: “It is critical that wildlife criminals can expect to feel the full weight of the law.

“Malawi is no longer a playground for the likes of the Lin-Zhang syndicate that exploit our natural heritage, damage our economy, incite corruption and pose a risk to national security. This is indeed a victory for the Malawi—and a victory for our nation’s wildlife in particular.” nurts that have taken years to conclude. There are also police investigations that have taken forever. These trends usually erode public confidence in these institutions. It is indeed frustrating, especially when one considers that corruption distorts the flow of justice.

But if there is an area where both the police and the Judiciary deserve commendation, it is how they have managed wildlife related cases.

In the last four years, these State institutions, have moved with impressive speed.
Wildlife crimes in Malawi had become so pervasive that stories of foreigners or locals getting arrested after being found in possession of illegal wildlife products were quite common. What was even more worrying was the involvement of foreigners, especially Chinese who seemed to be connected to an international ring of wildlife traffickers.

The crimes, according to one police investigator, had become dangerous because the foreigners, who connive with locals, have the weaponry (firearms) used for poaching as well as to attack anyone who wants to disturb them. They also have the money to manipulate the justice system.

In 2019 alone, 12 nationals of China were arrested for wildlife related offences, the highest number of Chinese arrested in Malawi for the offences in a year. Records from the Department of Parks and Wildlife showed that in 2017 and 2018, four were arrested—two in each year.
These arrests sent a strong message on how determined the Malawi Government was to crack down on wildlife crimes—which cost the country its reputation.

In 2019, the arrest of one Yun Hua Lin, 46, a Chinese who authorities said was one of the “the most wanted persons” and believed to be a kingpin of an international wildlife trafficking network, was a breakthrough.
Yun was arrested after months of manhunt and police confiscated wildlife species and guns, with hundreds of ammunitions allegedly supplied by Yun for poaching. This is how deep the wildlife syndicate had gone.

In 2015, the government of Malawi commissioned the country’s first Illegal Wildlife Trade Review which exposed several gaps. It revealed the nature and extent of the challenges faced; weak legislation, poor law enforcement and high levels of corruption as among the reasons that exposed Malawi to both local criminals and international trafficking syndicates.

In fact, in 2016, Malawi was confirmed as southern Africa’s main transit route for wildlife traffickers.
Besides the massive arrests made between 2018 and 2019, government and development partners had taken interest to improve the capacity of the Department of Parks and Wildlife and other law enforcing agencies based on a review conducted in 2015.
Following these efforts, in 2019 Malawi was stripped of the bad name; the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora delisted Malawi as one of the countries of primary concern on illegal wildlife crimes.

Records from the Department of Parks and Wildlife show that since 2018, 194 people have been arrested and convicted for wildlife crimes. Out of this total, 20 are Chinese, including Yun.
While locals arrested for these offences may have been many, authorities particularly feared the Chinese involvement because of their financial muscle and connections to the international ring.

In a statement released after Yun’s arrest the US embassy said: “The US Embassy is keenly following related cases involving foreign nationals, and we remain dedicated to our partnership with Malawian officials to stamp out illegal wildlife trade in the country, region, and the world,” reads a statement from the US Embassy released after Yun’s arrest.

With funding from the US government, Malawi established its first Wildlife Detection Dog Unit in August 2018. The US support to Malawi’s wildlife protection totals over K26 billion over the past seven years.

In an earlier interview in 2019, Deputy Chinese Ambassador Wang Xiusheng expressed concern over increased incidences of wildlife crime involving his country’s nationals, saying they are doing their part to help fight illegal wildlife trade.

He said: “We have always asked our people to be law-abiding. I know some Chinese nationals are involved, for example, the Kingpin [Lin] who was recently arrested. But it is just a small number—not every Chinese is involved.
“Most of our people are doing so many good things in this country. But we are concerned and we will continue working with government of Malawi to stop this.”

But all these arrests would not mean anything if the Judiciary had not moved with speed. Several people, including 10 Chinese, are serving varying sentences for wildlife crimes. Both Yun’s wife, Zhang, and their daughter are also serving an 11 years sentence for wildlife related offences.

Department director Brighton Kumchedwa believes that Malawi is winning the war against wildlife crimes.
He said: “It is critical that wildlife criminals can expect to feel the full weight of the law.
“Malawi is no longer a playground for the likes of the Lin-Zhang syndicate that exploit our natural heritage, damage our economy, incite corruption and pose a risk to national security. This is indeed a victory for the Malawi—and a victory for our nation’s wildlife in particular.” n