TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia- The Monrovia City Court at the Temple of Justice, had issued an arrest warrant for defendant Bobby Domah Parker for the alleged crime of possession of live animal without permit of license and cruelty to animal.
The writ is quoted as saying that during the period of January 2022 to May 1,2023 at 1100hours, defendant Bobby Domah Parker had no license or permit to keep such live animal, but yet he had been in possession of a chimpanzee over that period of time.
Mr. Parker is said to have subjected the Chimpanzee to drinking alcohol beverages and smoking of Cigarette, something that had got the chimpanzee to become extremely aggressive and begun to put community dwellers at risk, while exposing the chimpanzee to imminent danger, thereby moving about the community chasing some residents and attempting to even bite some people.
The alleged act of the defendant is said to be unlawful, illegal, wicked and intentional is in violation of Chapter 11 section 11.2 of the National wildlife conservation and protected area management law of Liberia and Chapter 18 section 18.13 of the Revised penal Code of Liberia, there and then crimes herein the defendant did do and commit.
Defendant Parker a male Liberian was arrested by a joint team comprising of the Forestry Development Authority and the Special Wildlife intelligence and investigation unit (SWIU) based upon an Intelligence operation coordinated to identify and rescue a chimpanzee that was in the possession of defendant Parker.
Defendant Parker, whose legal interest is being represented by Atty. Vincent Smith, has since been duly informed of his constitutional rights.
According to the police charge sheet, defendant Parker had been in possession of the said chimpanzee for over a year and he subjected the chimpanzee to the drinking of alcoholic beverages and smoking of Cigarette, something that had got the chimpanzee to become extremely aggressive and begun to put community dwellers at risk while exposing the chimpanzee to imminent danger.
During the SWIU in-depth investigation conducted with defendant Bobby Domah Parker, he openly admitted being the owner of the rescued chimpanzee and that he bought said animal for the amount of three hundred and fifty United States dollars (350) from a male only identified as Issa.
Police investigation also established that the chimpanzee had been with defendant Parker for a little over one year and that defendant Parker gave the chimpanzee into alcohol drinking and cigarette smoking thus putting the community dwellers at risk and exposing the said chimpanzee to imminent danger.
In furtherance of the investigation, it was established that defendant Parker had no permit or license to keep such live animal which is in a clear violation of the 2006 Act titled National Wildlife conservation and Protected Area Management Law of Liberia.
Additionally, the investigation established that defendant Parker had failed to keep the chimpanzee in a secure area but instead he had allowed the chimpanzee to be moving all around the community and running behind some of the community dwellers occasionally while attempting to even bite some of them.
Investigation Findings
That defendant Parker was in possession of live animal chimpanzee without a permit or license.
That the chimpanzee had been in the possession of defendant Parker for a year and two months.
That defendant herein named doesn’t have a zoo or a secured area to house the chimpanzee.
That, the chimpanzee was roaring all around the T-Junction community Samukai town prior to it being rescued.
That the chimpanzee is widely known in the above named community as Serena a name given by defendant Parker.
In view of the foregoing facts and circumstances, defendant’s admittance statement couple with the physical exhibit (rescued chimpanzee) this investigation has resolved to charge defendant Parker with the commission of the crimes Possession of live animal without permit or license and cruelty to animal in violation of Chapter 11 section 11.2 of the National Wildlife conversation and Protected Management law of Liberia Chapter 18 section 18.3 of the revised penal code pending trial by a court of competent jurisdiction.