Six suspects arrested over brutal elephant killing
KOTA KINABALU: The police have arrested six suspects over the brutal killing of a juvenile Borneo pygmy elephant in a series of raids from 12.20am to this afternoon.
Speaking at a press conference, Tawau district police chief assistant commissioner Peter Umbuas said that the arrests began with a public tip-off from a trusted source, which led to the arrest of the first suspect this morning at 12.20am at a house in Felda Umas 4, Tawau.
“The arrest led to three other raids conducted up to 4am in the Felda Umas district which led to the arrest of three other suspects.
“They were found in possession of a variety of weapons, including one Iver Johnson 30-inch single barrel pump gun, a handmade air rifle, a homemade shotgun also known as ‘bakakuk’, a variety of 75 live bullets, air rifle bullets and shells among other things,” he said.
A gun license for the pump gun, which was both obtained legitimately, was also found.
“The fifth and sixth suspects were arrested this afternoon, and the elephant tusks are believed to have been in their possession,” he said, adding that he has yet to check on the raid location and see the ivory from the latest arrest.
The six suspects are aged between 48 to 68 years old, and all but one is local. One is a worker in the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) estate, while two others were hired to guard a plantation from elephant intrusions.
They are expected to be produced in court tomorrow morning.
“The motive for the killing may be two-pronged — they were hired to guard the plantation from the elephant.
“But instead of just scaring it off, they killed it, or decided to kill it for the ivory,” said Umbuas.
Umbuas said that the 70 shot wounds, using a slug, found on the dead elephant showed that the suspects intended to kill it.
Asked about the rope that was found tied to the elephant’s neck, Umbuas said it was unlikely that they had caught the animal and tied it before shooting.
“They must have killed it first before tying it up,” he said.
Umbuas also said that the animal was killed in an area known as a riparian reserve, in between the plantation and a river.
All six suspects are being investigated under Section 25(1) of the Wildlife Conservation Enactment for hunting a protected animal illegally. I
If found guilty, they would be sentenced to five years jail and fined RM250,000.
The police are also investigating them for possession of an illegal weapon under Section 8(a) of the Arms Act 1960 and the sole foreigner is being investigated for not having valid travel or work documents.
