LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)–A coalition of environmental civil society organizations (CSOs), led by the Coordination Union for the Rehabilitation of the Environment (CURE)—the sector technical lead under the Council for Non-Governmental Organisations in Malawi—has strongly condemned President Lazarus Chakwera’s decision to pardon convicted wildlife trafficker Lin Yun Hua.
The move has been described as a major setback in Malawi’s ongoing fight against wildlife crimes.
The outcry follows a lack of transparency surrounding the controversial decision to pardon and reduce Lin Yun Hua’s prison sentence through the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Granting of Pardons.
Speaking during a media briefing in Lilongwe on Friday, May 9, environmental activist and CURE Executive Director Charles Mkoka flanked by other activists namely: Mathews Malata, Mala Kayira, and Chifundo Dalireni called the decision deeply regrettable and a betrayal of the progress Malawi has made in combating illegal wildlife crime.
“This is not just a legal matter; it is a moral and national issue. Releasing a convicted wildlife criminal—found guilty of possessing protected species under the National Parks and Wildlife Act—sends the wrong message to both the public and our international partners,” Mkoka said.
He further stated that the pardon undermines Malawi’s commitment to protecting its natural resources, especially given that Lin was found in possession of specimens believed to have originated from the endangered Black Rhinoceros population in Liwonde National Park.
The Black Rhinoceroses species part of the big five got extinct in Malawi, as the last one was shot by poachers in Mwabvi Wildlife Reserve in 1990. They were later re-introduced in 1994 to Liwonde National Park from South Africa thanks to the support from the J and B circle.
The coalition of CSOs warned that such presidential pardons threaten to reverse hard-won conservation gains, demoralize law enforcement officers, and hinder national efforts under the agriculture, tourism, and mining strategy. It also jeopardizes progress toward Malawi’s Vision 2063.
The CSOs called on the government to prioritize environmental justice and uphold the rule of law without fear or favor. They urged authorities to treat wildlife crimes with the same seriousness as crimes like rape and corruption.
“The fight against wildlife crime requires unwavering commitment at all levels of leadership. We expect our President to lead by example,” Mkoka added.
The CSOs also reminded President Chakwera of his October 19, 2020, promise made during the State House Weekly Brief then, where he committed to forming a taskforce of environmental experts to ensure violators of environmental laws receive deterrent sentences.
The event—organized by CURE in its role as sector technical lead—was supported by the Movement for Environmental Action, Civil Society Network on Climate Change National Youth Network on Climate Change, the Centre for Environmental Policy and Advocacy, Youth and Society, and the Association of Environmental Journalists, Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi .
It aimed to raise public awareness of the illegal wildlife trade and advocate for accountability and transparency in environmental governance inline with access to information law.
Lin Yun Hua, a Chinese national and alleged kingpin of a major wildlife trafficking syndicate, was convicted in 2021 for possession of over 103 specimens of rhino horn and other protected species, in violation of the National Parks and Wildlife Act and the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). He was also convicted under the Financial Crimes Act for money laundering.