Investigative Support Officer Ian Guildford from the NWCU together with Guy Clarke from the UK Border Force CITES team, based at Heathrow, recently attended Malawi to deliver training as part of a project being run by RSPCA International, the project ‘Developing Law enforcement Capability in Malawi to Combat Wildlife Crime’ is funded by the UK Governments ‘Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge fund’.

The week long training course was delivered to 30 prosecutors and investigators from the Malawi Police force and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife. Areas covered included looking at the identification of wildlife products, CITES Permits, Investigation Skills and Case file preparation. As well as the trainers from the UK inputs were also provided from local presenters from the Malawi police service, Department of National Parks and Wildlife and the Malawi Revenue Authority as well as presentations on Financial Investigations and Anti Corruption.

The course was formally opened by Lexten Kachama, the Inspector General of the Malawi Police Service, who at the beginning of the course was presented with computers donated by the British Government, these were handed over by the British High Commissioner to Malawi, Michael Nevin.

The recent course is one of four training courses that have been arranged by Donnamarie O’Connell who is the Senior Policy and Program Advisor (Africa) for RSPCA International who has worked tirelessly in providing assistance to Malawi in their fight against wildlife crime, these courses target the Malawi Revenue Authority, Malawi Police Service, Judiciary and Department of National Parks and Wildlife.

President Peter Mutharika of Malawi recently launched a short video entitled “Stop Wildlife Crime” film as a strong resolution to combat illegal wildlife trade in Malawi – http://www.malawiwildlife.org