*Translated from the French by an automated online translation service, so please excuse the roughness. See link for original.* Anti-Poaching in the Kango area: Four big-game hunters locked up in Gros-Bouquet (Gabon) The Union March 31, 2018 See link <http://www.union.sonapresse.com/justice-faits-divers-au-gabon/lutte-contre-le-braconnage-dans-la-region-de-kango-quatre-pratiquants-de-la-grande-chasse-ecroues-gros-bouquet-17485> for photo. The elements of the Kango-center gendarmerie brigade have just put an end to the activities of four poachers. They are three compatriots: Emile Engonga Menie, Emmanuel Obiang Ntogo and Herman Lepoussou. And also an Equatoguinean named Gues Nzue Nguema. These four hunters, specialized in the slaughter, among others, of elephants, mainly in the department of Komo, were placed under arrest warrant at the prison of Gros-Bouquet, Friday, March 16 last. According to a source close to the Investigation Directorate of the Gendarmerie Brigade in Kango-center, the starting point of this raid is the discontent manifested by the people of Abanga, a town located on the axis Sogacel / Tchimbélé. The latter complained that a band of heavily armed men had settled in their locality, constantly disturbing their peace and quiet by firing gunshots in the forest. "They were (...) lawless poachers, who had made the villagers wake," says our informant. Following this, the Judicial Police Officers (OPJ) invested the site to conduct investigations. As a result, on Monday, March 12 and Tuesday, March 13, Emile Engonga Menie, Emmanuel Obiang Ntogo, Herman Lepoussou and Gues Nzue Nguema were arrested. Accomplishing Evidence During a search of their homes, the investigators also found five weapons, which they confiscated. This arsenal consists of two rifles 12 caliber 5 shots, two rifles caliber 12 to 1 shot and a rifle type 475. Conducted at the gendarmerie station, the four suspects initially claimed that these weapons were given to them by third parties. Then, some of them eventually cooperated, revealing that they practice great hunting on their own. "It turns out that the four hunters operate without any legal authorization, especially with regard to the use of these weapons of great caliber," we hear on the side of the investigation branch of the Kango Brigade-center. It is therefore on the basis of overwhelming evidence that an investigating judge of the Libreville prosecutor's office has committed the defendants to the Libreville central prison. They are waiting for their trial. http://www.union.sonapresse.com/justice-faits-divers-au-gabon/lutte-contre-le-braconnage-dans-la-region-de-kango-quatre-pratiquants-de-la-grande-chasse-ecroues-gros-bouquet-17485 ------------------------------------- This news service is provided by Save the Elephants. For further information on elephants please see Save the Elephants' web site at http://www.savetheelephants.org ------------------------------------- Disclaimer: Please note that we cannot guarantee the accuracy of any news story. In addition, we do not endorse any of the views expressed therein. We simply try to represent fairly what is in the media on elephants. If a reader finds inaccuracies in an article, we are happy to circulate corrections, if these can be verified. -------------- *Recipients: You can manage your own subscriptions, including unsubscribing, subscribing, and changing your email address, all by clicking on the appropriate listserv link below. Also, if you feel you are receiving too many emails, you can sign up for the 'Daily Digest' option. Note that archived news stories are linked to at the top of each page.* African Elephant News: http://elephantnews.org/mailman/listinfo/african-elephant_elephantnews.org Asian Elephant News: http://elephantnews.org/mailman/listinfo/asian-elephant_elephantnews.org All Scientific Papers: http://elephantnews.org/mailman/listinfo/allpapers_elephantnews.org