Sri Lanka jails keeper in first elephant trafficking case

Colombo: Sri Lanka s High Court sentenced an elephant keeper to 15 years in prison on Friday, in a landmark case involving trafficking of wildlife pro...

Colombo: Sri Lanka's High Court sentenced an elephant keeper to 15 years in prison on Friday, in a landmark case involving trafficking of wildlife protected by strict environmental laws.

The three-judge court in Colombo found Niraj Roshan guilty on two counts of keeping a stolen baby elephant and falsifying records to show he had obtained it legitimately.

The verdict, which includes a fine equivalent to $68,600 and the elephant's confiscation, comes six years after the case first went to court.

"This is the first case of elephant trafficking filed in a Sri Lankan court," a state prosecutor told the court, urging a deterrent sentence to discourage similar behaviour.

Seven other suspects were cleared during the course of the trial due to lack of evidence.