This conviction, which was secured by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), brings the total number of convictions in illegal wildlife cases obtained by the Service to 11 between May and December 12, 2023.
The NCS, in a statement, revealed that dozens of other suspects involved in wildlife trafficking are currently facing trial in court.
The statement read, "The Nigeria Customs Service is one organisation that is leading by example; they are doing the job and making the whole world proud through the unrelenting effort and coordination by the NCS Special Wildlife Office and the prosecutors."
The conviction, which was secured on December 7, 2023, is among those resulting from the arrests made in a joint operation with the Wildlife Justice Commission in December 2022.
Justice Yelim Bogoro sentenced Mahmoud Berete, a Guinean, to two years imprisonment or a fine of N500,000. The statement further read, "The period spent in the Nigeria Customs Service and Nigeria Correctional Services Centre shall be considered and computed."
This marks the 11th conviction of Illegal Wildlife Cases secured by the Nigeria Customs Service, with many more cases still awaiting trial.
The statement concluded, "How else can one celebrate these achievements than with a successful Comptroller General of Customs Conference (CGCs Conference) starting tomorrow in Lagos, Nigeria. NCS and WJC partnership works, and they are committed to continuing working together to target these transnational organized crime networks."
Barete was found guilty of conspiracy, trafficking and trading in pangolin scales, a prohibited and endangered wildlife species, an offence that is contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act, 2004.