Two people including a Police Officer arrested with fresh leopard skins in Yaounde

Two suspected traffickers including a Police Officer were arrested on December 17 in Yaounde for the illegal possession of leopard skins.

They were arrested following a crackdown operation carried out by wildlife officials of the Center Regional Delegation of Forestry and Wildlife in collaboration with the Center Regional Division of Judicial Police. They were attempting to sell the leopard skins when wildlife officials apprehended them.

The suspects were found at the Nsimeyong neighbourhood with two leopard skins which they concealed in a bag. They are part of a trafficking ring between Gabon and Cameroon and one of the suspects is a Police Officer who uses his position to provide impunity for the ring. The skins were smuggled from Gabon.

Those close to the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity say the skins were still very fresh on arrival to Cameroon and were transported by one of the suspects who is equally a driver. He kept the skins at his Tsinga residence for 10 days to be dried in the sun for proper condition before trading them. The operation was technical assisted by a wildlife enforcement support body known as the Last Great Ape Organisation – LAGA.

Leopards are listed on Appendix 1 under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) for which Cameroon is a signatory, benefiting from the highest level of protection which prohibits any form of trade in the species.

According to the 2024 wildlife law, the suspects may face an imprisonment terms of up to 20 years and or pay a fine of up to 50 million FCFA if found guilty