A Chinese national and two Zambians have appeared in the Chinsali Magistrates court charged for illegally hunting a crocodile.
But the trio have told the Court that they had to hunt the crocodile from the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) in Kasama.
The trio said this today when the case came up for written facts before Senior Resident Magistrate Francis Nsokolo.
The two Zambians are Patrick Mutale, 28, and James Bwalya, 35, both Samfwa pontoon operators who are jointly charged in count one of illegal hunting of a crocodile in open area contrary to section 67 Act Number 12 of 1998.
They told the court that the authority came after numerous efforts by the ZAWA officials to kill the reptile which has so far killed 21 people in the area.
The Chinese national Yulong Sun, 26, has maintained a plea of guilty in the second and third count of illegal possession of government trophy and crocodile skin contrary to section 100 of Act Number 12 of 1998, and Section 136(2) SI 61 of 1993 respectively.
The court has adjourned the matter for continuation of trial to August 18, 2015 on which the ZAWA officials are expected to appear and testify in the matter.
Meanwhile, Chief Kabanda has written to the court pleading that the two charged in the first count for illegal hunting be discharged.
This is Ignorance of it’s kind. When Ozawa failed to Kill this Crocodile after it had killed People, and this Chinese Managed to Kill it, Why Charging him? This is Nonsense. What they Suppose to do is to just to get the Skin from this Chinese that’s all. It’s like they are interested in the Skin. They have to Appreciate this Chinese for killing this Reptile which they failed them selves. What in People’s Minds in this Country. Is this Country Going to Develop I wonder? God Please Prevail. What has gone wrong.? Is God not Happy with These Leaders hence Problems or it’s coz of try an error leadership. Twapenga, natuchula, tavutika. Nway it will be one day Freedom.
Crocodile hunting can’t be illegal, unless the PF courts believe in human-crocodiles. Those reptiles are dangerous, let Chinese hunt and eat them.
God ONLY HELPS THOSE THAT HELP THEMSELVES, just sitting on our stinky backsides hoping things will change for the better WILL NEVER HAPPEN!!!
Yes zawa is making people do wrong things due to desperation
Let the courts decide on the matter.
Crocs kill humans,they must be eliminated in all open rivers and streams,kill them all!
Please go near them and get killed you ignorant Zambian.
Another chap from “six koloko!”
These crocs have killed many Zambians. Why charge the Chinese? Put more Chinese in the area so that they can eliminate the crocs
It’s saddening how pathetically ignorant you all are, it’s the humans who should stay away from crocodile habitat. It’s the humans who should be smarter and find better means to live with and control the population of the beasts.
It seems non of you understand these Chinese, if this case goes unpunished then you open a door for more illegal hunting.
Hunting of any kind should be by permit only for non Zawa personnel.
The law is law…ignorance is no excuse. More over Chinaman is very wasteful species when it comes to natural resources!!
I see some of the most useless comments here. This is just poaching – why did it have to be a chinese hunting the crocodile? Where was the crocodile killing humans from – its habitat or from people’s homes? If it is true that it has killed 21, why haven’t we heard about it? Let’s preserve our wildlife and not allow these foreigners to come and harvest our wildlife indiscriminately. Last time they were caught hunting owls – who knows what else they are doing.
2 month ago dogs went missing in kitwe during the Dog festival ( chinese hunted them)
Ingwena shilepaya abantu- shilwani. Lekeni aba chocholi batwafwe ukwipaya ishi ngwena. Twachula pafula
What world are we living in seriously. Animals play a key role in ecosystems including crocodiles. Crocodiles play a key role in the river system and how it functions and is well balanced and their presence is important to the environment. It is this specie that cleans up the river as it eats carcass of other species and balances the population of the habitat. In other words crocodiles ensure the river is running smoothly. ZAWA and the Minister of Tourism and Arts need to urge residents to understand the important aspects of these species to ensure there is less human conflict issues. The government can play a key role in ensuring that both can live without harming each other. One way is boreholes in rural areas so people don’t go to rivers for water and monitoring the crocodiles.
There are also laws and regulations to follow. People can’t simple kill an animal without a permit or a licence. If this was the case everyone will be in game parks hunting animals for consumption. The Chinese is a poacher and that is what he did by killing the animal. He then ships the skin and teeth to China which can be sold for up to $1500 on the black market. But here we are again encouraging this behaviour while our animals are killed to benefit another economies. For all we know the Chinese guy has been advertising on Chinese hunting websites, Hunting Crocodiles in Zambia. Just like the US, Canadian, and Europe does. Owners of these business get rich off of our animals. People pay them in their home country in dollars. Then Zambia gets left overs when they bring their hunters.
Lions kill people but when government allowed hunting you politicized the issue
Today you support what you opposed just because it’s politics?
If you are not conversant with issues don’t comment.