Illegal possession of leopard skins: 20-year jail term hangs over police officer, accomplice arrested in Yaounde.

The suspects were arrested last December 17, 2025, in Yaounde. The arrest follows a crackdown operation carried out by wildlife officials of the Centre Regional Delegation of Forestry and Wildlife.

The operation was in collaboration with the Centre Regional Division of Judicial Police with the technical assistance from a wildlife enforcement support body known as the Last Great Ape Organisation, LAGA. 

The suspects were caught by wildlife officials at the Nsimeyong neighbourhood while attempting to sell the leopard skins. They had concealed the two leopard skins in a bag. The suspects are said to be part of a trafficking ring between Gabon and Cameroon.

Wildlife officials disclosed that one of the suspects is a police officer who uses his position to provide impunity for the ring. The skins were smuggled from Gabon. 

Those close to the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity say the skins were still very fresh on arrival to Cameroon and were transported by one of the suspects who is equally a driver. 

The said driver is said to have kept the skins at his Tsinga residence for 10 days to be dried in the sun for proper condition before trading them. 

Leopards are listed on Appendix 1 under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, CITES, for which Cameroon is a signatory, benefiting from the highest level of protection which prohibits any form of trade in the species.