Tiger case acquittal
Shenaaz Khan
The acquittal of four orang asli in the shooting and killing of a Malayan tiger is yet another reflection of how our judiciary lacks the resolve in tackling wildlife crime. It is hard to fathom how the prosecution could have failed to prove a prima facie case despite having evidence to the contrary.
The poor tiger’s body was riddled with bullets, two of which were embedded in its eyes. It was pierced with blowpipe arrows, its paw was viciously snared and it was left to die a cruel and horrific death. Bullets and the snare were found at the scene of the crime, with the snare still attached to the tigers leg. There was even an admission of guilt from one of the accused.
This was a cold blooded murder. Yet these murderers have come out victorious and are now free to roam our jungles and savagely kill our precious wildlife. While we boast about our conservation mandate being embodied in our legislation, it is appalling that the charges proffered against the four were merely under Section 64A of the Protection of Wildlife Act 1972, when they should have additionally been charged under Section 76, for the setting and possession of a snare, Section 92 for cruelty to wildlife and further charges for firearm possession.
The fatal flaw of our judicial system is in not recognising the grave criminality of hunting, trapping, torturing and killing wildlife. The law is the most vital protection yet it is being repeatedly violated to the detriment of our wildlife. Our Malayan tiger is already in such great peril with its wild population numbers dwindling by the day. Yet our system brazenly allows armed criminals to recklessly, intentionally and barbarically hunt and kill these treasured creatures with no punitive consequence. This is a matter of great public concern and the government has a statutory duty to appeal the judges decision and exert more vigorous criminal prosecutions against wildlife criminals.
