Andeme Mba Marie-Gisele, Anveme Nkoulou Djimi and Nkoulou Serge Patrick were found Feb. 17, guilty of theft of wood in the forest license of the TTIB society. The company has been the victim of various thefts of Kevazingo orchestrated by these three individuals, since 2014.

It is following a complaint against X in January 2015 that Ms. Marie-Gisèle Andeme Mba and coauthors Anveme Nkoulou Djimi and Nkoulou Serge Patrick were arrested. Mr. Anveme Nkoulou Djimi, who holds a salvage license that specifies the villages where the recovery of wood is to be made, was seized with a truck containing 2 Kévazingos out of TTIB’s forest license. This is an unauthorized exploitation relocation prohibited by the Forest Code.

Furthermore, it appears that the wood used throughout this type of permit recovery or auctions is often freshly cut and not reclaimed wood. Andeme Mba Marie-Gisèle had also recovered a Kevazingo log in the permit in question with an authorization of recovery belonging to a certain ESSIW A Dedric, an offense to the forestry code because the authorization of recovery is individual and not transferable.

Although known in the region for illegal exploitation, Nkoulou Serge Patrick was found not guilty of the crime of theft and was released. Andeme Mba Marie-Gisele and Anveme Nkoulou Djimi were convicted of stealing. They were sentenced to one month imprisonment and 250,000 FCFA fine. A warrant was issued at the oral hearing.

This is a rare conviction for illegal logging and it is to be obviously encouraged. However, it is clear that sanctions are not dissuasive when we know that these illegal exploitations generate hundreds of millions of CFA Francs and are widespread in this area of ​​the country.

http://www.spyghana.com/3-wood-thieves-found-guilty-by-gabon-court/

http://en.gabonews.com/en/news/environment/article/three-illegal-loggers-guilty-of-stealing-wood