The Chinsali Magistrate’s Court has sentenced a 31-year-old man to five years’ imprisonment with hard labour for the illegal possession of a protected wildlife species.
Sam Mfula was arrested on 27 January 2026 by officers from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife in Chobela Village, Mpika District, after being found in possession of two tails of Cookson’s Wildebeest.
He was charged with illegal possession of a protected trophy, contrary to Section 130(1) of the Zambia Wildlife Act No. 14 of 2015.
On 4 February 2026, Mfula appeared before George Banda at the Chinsali Magistrate’s Court, where he pleaded guilty. The court convicted him and imposed a five-year custodial sentence with hard labour.
Cookson’s Wildebeest is one of five subspecies of the Blue (Common) Wildebeest found in southern and eastern Africa, with only two subspecies occurring in Zambia. Endemic to the Luangwa Valley, the species plays a critical role in maintaining ecological balance and supporting tourism.
Authorities say the sentence underscores government’s firm commitment to enforcing wildlife protection laws, warning that illegal hunting of protected species threatens biodiversity, undermines ecosystems relied upon by local communities, and damages tourism-based livelihoods.
