MADRID, 17 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The United States Department of State on Wednesday prohibited several officials from the Democratic Republic of Condo (DRC) from entering the country for being involved in the trafficking of protected animals in exchange for bribes.
“As public officials responsible for the protection of wildlife, they abused their public positions by trafficking chimpanzees, gorillas, okapis and other protected wild animals from the DRC, mainly to the PRC, using forged permits in exchange for bribes.” , reads a statement from the department.
“Their corrupt and transnational criminal actions not only undermined the rule of law and government transparency in the DRC, but also longstanding wildlife conservation efforts,” the letter continued.
The Department of State has ensured that these sanctions demonstrate the commitment of the United States to the interruption of the wildlife trade and to promote responsibility among officials and criminals.
These officials are the former Director General of the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN), Wilungula Balongelwa, the Director of the ICCN, Leonard Muamba Kanda, and the Director-Coordinator of the Administrative Authority for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. of Fauna and Flora Silvestres (CITES) of DRC and legal adviser of ICCN, Augustin Ngumbi Amuri.
In addition, the US authorities have extended this entry ban to Rose Nsele Ngokali, Kanda’s wife, and Wilungula’s wife, Esther Mwanga Wilungula.
