Councillor with tiger pelt arrested

Councillor with tiger pelt arrested

BENGKULU: A prosecutor in North Bengkulu regency demanded a
local district court here on Wednesday sentence a councillor to
one year in prison for possession of a fresh, rare tiger pelt. In
the trial, presided over by Judge Makroeq Nur, R. Radjagukguk,
the prosecutor accused that the defendant, Rabihil Kana, 44, had
intentionally kept, possessed, carried and traded an animal which
is protected.

The defendant had purchased the pelt from an unidentified
person for Rp 2.5 million in October 2003.

The unknown person went to his house with the fresh pelt and
offered it to him for Rp 2.5 million, which the defendant
immediately paid.

After the deal, the defendant asked the person to preserve the
animal pelt, complete with its head.

On Dec. 9, 2003, the defendant took the tiger pelt to room no.
26, Hotel Pasir Putih, Bengkulu. The pelt was placed in a pail
containing methylated spirits to prevent it from decomposing. The
accused took the pelt to the hotel as he had offered it to a
prospective buyer, Stefanus Felixilius, who promised to pay the
defendant Rp 5 million.

Before the transaction was completed, the local police and
forest rangers arrived and arrested the defendant. -- Antara