The Forestry Commission has filed a lawsuit at the High Court against Ghanaian businessman and entrepreneur Nana Kwame Bediako, popularly known as Cheddar, over the alleged illegal importation of tigers into Ghana, seeking court orders for the animals to be forfeited and placed into lawful custody.
The legal action, reported by local media outlets, marks a significant escalation in the dispute over the status and legality of the two tigers reportedly brought into the country by Cheddar several years ago. According to public sources, the case centres on allegations that the import of the big cats did not comply with Ghana’s wildlife protection laws and international conventions regulating endangered species and exotic animal trade.
Ghana’s wildlife regulations are stringent when it comes to the possession and importation of wild animals such as tigers, which are not native to the region and are protected under international frameworks like the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Domestic law generally prohibits private individuals from keeping such animals without explicit permits from wildlife authorities – authority normally vested in the Forestry Commission’s Wildlife Division.
The controversy surrounding the tigers dates back to at least 2022, when Bediako made national headlines for housing the two big cats at his residence in Accra. At the time, the situation sparked public debate and concern from residents and animal welfare advocates, with experts stressing that keeping tigers in private homes or unlicensed facilities runs afoul of Ghanaian wildlife protection laws unless stringent conditions and permits are met.
Over the years, the Forestry Commission and its Wildlife Division have been closely involved in monitoring the situation. Past statements from the agency indicated that wildlife officials visited the animals to assess their conditions and expressed intentions to relocate them to a more appropriate facility once proper arrangements were established. However, the latest move to take the matter to the High Court suggests that regulatory authorities believe legal avenues must be pursued to secure the tigers and ensure full compliance with wildlife protection statutes.
Analysts say the case underscores broader challenges in enforcing wildlife and conservation laws in Ghana, particularly regarding exotic species that are both rare and highly regulated internationally. Countries around the world typically require detailed documentation, health certifications, and approval from wildlife authorities before such animals can be transported, imported, or kept in captivity. Those safeguards aim to prevent illegal wildlife trafficking and protect endangered species from exploitation.
The outcome of the lawsuit could set an important precedent for how similar cases are handled in the future, especially when it comes to private ownership and the legal responsibilities of high-profile individuals who possess exotic wildlife. As the case unfolds in court, wildlife advocates and legal experts will be watching closely to see whether the judiciary upholds stringent compliance with conservation laws or interprets regulatory ambiguities in new ways.
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