Justice Yelim Bogoro of the Federal High Court, Lagos, has convicted and sentenced a native of Guinea, Mamoduo Barete, to two years imprisonment for trafficking and trading Pangolin Scales, a prohibited and endangered wildlife species.
The Nigeria Customs Service said in a statement that it secured Barete’s conviction on charges of conspiracy, trafficking and trading in Pangolin Scales, an offence contrary to and punishable by section 516 of the Criminal Code Act, 2004.
Justice Bogoro sentenced Barete to two years imprisonment with an option of N500,000 fine.
The judge also said that the period spent with the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigeria Correctional Service shall be considered and recorded.
Customs said the convict was one of the suspects arrested in a joint operation with the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC) in December 2022.
“NCS and WJC partnership is one that works, and they are committed to continue to work together to target these transnational organized crime networks.
“The conviction has raised the Service’s convictions in illegal wildlife cases to no fewer than 11 between May and December 12, 2023. Tens of other wildlife trafficking suspects are standing trial in court,” according to the statement issued by the Nigeria Customs Service.
“The Nigeria Customs Service is one organisation that is leading by example; they are doing the job and making the whole world proud through the unrelenting effort and coordination by the NCS Special Wildlife Office and the prosecutors,” the statement also added.