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THURSDAY,
28 JULY 2005: The first ever training course in the prosecution of environmental crimes, hosted jointly by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism and the National Prosecuting Authority, comes to end today amid praise from prosecutors and presenters alike.
The course which has been attended by 40 prosecutors from across the country is a joint project of the Environmental Management Inspectorate (also known as the Green Scorpions), the NPA, Justice College , the American Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Department of Justice.
The main objective of the course was to provide training in a range of issues, including environmental legislation, forensic evidence of pollution and endangered species, and the sentencing of environmental criminals.
This is the first time that a course of this nature is held in South Africa . “In collaboration with the Justice College , we intend to make this course available annually to prosecutors all over the country,” said Melissa Fourie, Director: Enforcement in the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.
“The prosecutors who attended our course this week will become the focal points in their regions for the prosecution of environmental crimes, and will work closely with Environmental Management Inspectors (the Green Scorpions) to ensure that environmental criminals are made to pay.” Melissa said.
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