The Forestry Development Authority (FDA) has confirmed that eight men were convicted and fined for the illegal killing of a protected elephant in Sando Village, Bopolu County—a case that underscores Liberia’s renewed determination to enforce wildlife and forest protection laws.
The Bopolu City Magisterial Court handed down the ruling on Wednesday, following swift investigations into the poaching incident. According to court records, the defendants—Jonathan C. Francis, Sekou Kanneh, Mamadee Cetra, Cyrus Plaker, Eric Kopolo, Joseph Kollie, Francis Kortu, and Mamadee Kanneh—were arrested after admitting to the crime during preliminary inquiries.
The men were charged under multiple provisions of Liberia’s environmental legislation. Specifically, they were found in violation of the National Forest Reform Law of 2006, Chapter Six, Section 6.3.2(a), which prohibits the unauthorized hunting of protected species. They also breached the National Wildlife and Protected Areas Management Law, Chapter Nine, Sections 9.12(b)(i) and 9.12(d)(i), which criminalize the killing and possession of endangered wildlife.
Presiding Judge Mulbah Harris sentenced the group to a collective fine of US $500, payable within 48 hours to the judicial bank account. He warned that failure to comply would result in continued detention. “The law is clear: protected wildlife, especially elephants, are national treasures. Any infringement will be met with swift and decisive action,” Judge Harris declared during sentencing.
In addition to the fine, the court ordered the immediate surrender of the elephant’s ivory tusk to the Forestry Development Authority. The tusk will be preserved as evidence and safeguarded as part of Liberia’s national heritage.
While the ruling demonstrates Liberia’s willingness to enforce conservation laws, the relatively modest fine raises questions about deterrence. Elephants are among the most endangered species in West Africa, and poaching for ivory remains a lucrative illegal trade across the region. Conservationists argue that penalties must reflect the ecological and cultural value of these animals, as well as the international commitments Liberia has made under biodiversity treaties.
The case also highlights the challenges facing rural communities where poverty and limited livelihood options often drive residents toward poaching. Without stronger enforcement mechanisms and community-based conservation programs, experts warn that wildlife crimes will persist despite legal prohibitions.
The FDA’s involvement in the case signals institutional coordination between the judiciary and environmental authorities. However, critics note that Liberia’s forest and wildlife laws, though comprehensive on paper, require consistent application and stronger penalties to protect species such as elephants, which play a critical role in maintaining forest ecosystems.
Liberia’s forests are among the most biologically diverse in West Africa, but they face mounting threats from logging, mining, and poaching. The conviction in Bopolu County may serve as a symbolic step toward accountability, yet it also exposes gaps in enforcement capacity. Conservation advocates are likely to press for reforms that increase fines, expand community education, and strengthen monitoring systems to ensure that wildlife crimes are met with proportionate consequences.
