AWF calls for tough laws against poachers

At a media briefing held in Gaborone yesterday, Muruthi expressed great concern over the decreasing numbers of wildlife in most African countries due to poaching. “Some countries have weak laws hence they have repeat offenders. Wildlife crime is not taken seriously in many countries. It is important for wildlife to be safe guarded,” he said.

He explained that AWF would hold a workshop with the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP aimed at training local prosecutors, investigators and other stakeholders on the standard tools used to investigate and prosecute wildlife crimes. “In this workshop, we are working with wildlife officers, prosecutors, judges and other stakeholders. This workshop is the training tool on how to investigate and prosecute wildlife crime according to the law. Prosecutors and judges are looking at broader types of crime and therefore it is essential to put them on board and show them the importance of taking appropriate measures to fight wildlife crimes according to the country’s laws,” he said.