Man Jailed 5 Years for Illegal Hunting in Nyika National Park

Rumphi First Grade Magistrate, Cuthbert Phiri, has sentenced a 46-year-old man, Dave Kalua, to five years in prison for illegal hunting and related offences in Nyika National Park.

Kalua, who hails from Kalua Village under Traditional Authority Nthalire in Chitipa District, was handed the sentence on June 17, 2025, after pleading guilty to three charges: entering a protected area without permission, possession of weapons, and illegal hunting.

He was given 18 months for entering a protected area, 3 years for possessing a locally made shotgun, spear, and knife, and 5 years for hunting without authorisation. The sentences will run concurrently, meaning Kalua will serve a total of five years behind bars.

According to Senior Assistant of Wildlife and Parks, Charles John Mabethi, Kalua was apprehended on June 10, 2025, alongside four accomplices who managed to escape. Rangers, assisted by patrol dogs, managed to arrest Kalua inside the park while he was actively engaged in illegal hunting.

Mabethi noted that due to the rise in poaching cases within Nyika National Park, a tougher sentence was appropriate to serve as a deterrent.

The search for Kalua’s four accomplices is ongoing.