PROFAUNA Censured Low Sentence for International Wildlife Dealer

MALANG, Indonesia - June 19, 2015 - PRLog -- Protection of Forest & Fauna (PROFAUNA) Indonesia censured the absurdly low sentence given to Basuki Ongko Raharjo, an international wildlife dealer. On 17 June 2015 the panel of judges, lead by Ferdinandus, at Surabaya District Court gave a low sentence: 6 months of prison, with 1 year of probation.

Basuki Ongko Raharjo, a resident of Malang, East Java, was found guilty for violating the Law no. 5 of 1990 concerning the Conservation of Living Natural Resources and Its Ecosystem, thus liable to a maximum 5 years of prison and IDR 100 million fines. Despite the clear-cut guilt, the convicted man only received very low punishment. This does not differ much from the prosecutor’s charge, which was only probation.

Wildlife crime done by Basuki Ongko Raharjo is a serious threat for the survival of Indonesia’s wildlife. From Basuki, the police confiscated a stuffed sea turtle, a stuffed  leopard cat, a mousedeer’s skeleton, head of a deer, 85 skeleton of red kingfishers, 100 heads of red kingfishers, 30 kingfishers, 90 heads of black kingfishers, 63 peafowl feathers, 5 shells, and 9 skunks.

Basuki confessed that he has been doing his dirty business since 2006, and his market reached as far as the US and Europe. He used to send Indonesian rare wildlife species to many countries including the UK, the US, and Sweden.

Swasti Prawidya Mukti, PROFAUNA Indonesia’s campaign officer, stated that the low sentence for such wildlife dealer will never cause a deterrent effect. Wildlife crime will continue flourishing if the punishment is always linient.

Basuki Ongko Raharjo’s case was initially reported by the Metropolitan Police Widllife Crime Unit from the UK, who seized a cargo containing wildlife scpecies from Indonesia. The finding was then followed-up to Indonesian government for further investigation.

She added thatPROFAUNA is taking this case to the Judicial Commission, due to the low sentence compared to the value of the country’s loss; both nominal and ecological value.

For further information, please contact:

Swasti Prawidya Mukti

(PROFAUNA Indonesia’s campaign officer)

Mobile: (62) 8563693611, Email: asti@profauna.net