Uganda: Three Held in Amuru Over Poaching




New Vision (Kampala)

22 September 2008
Posted to the web 23 September 2008

Cornes Lubangakene
Kampala

THREE people have been arrested by game rangers in connection with the killing of a buffalo and a hippo in Murchison Falls National Park.

The officer in charge of Ayago rangers post in Anaka sub-county, Amuru district, Sergeant Simon Ocerdengu, on Friday identified the suspects as Michael Ouma, Geoffrey Okumu and another only identified as Maraco, all from Anaka sub-county.


Ocerdengu said the three were part of 20 others who fled when the rangers stormed a hideout where they were smoking the animals they had killed on September 16.

He said the suspects were transferred to Paraa park headquarters, from where they would be taken to court for prosecution.

"We have received information from the three that the group hired a gun from a soldier in Amuru district and used it to kill the animals. The trio said they were taken to the hideout to skin the animals and smoke the meat before it could be transported from the bush. We recovered the meat," Ocerdengu said.

"We have not recovered the gun and have not yet identified the soldier but all efforts are being made to apprehend all those involved."

Ocerdengu warned the community surrounding the park against poaching, saying they would lose their lives in the process.


Anaka sub-county LC3 chairman Dennis Okema appealed to the people to avoid poaching since they benefit from the revenue collected from the park.

"We are benefiting a lot from the revenue that is realised from the park. Every year, we share part of the revenue among the sub-counties surrounding the park. The communities are the direct beneficiaries of this revenue."

Okema said last year, the park authorities built four-classroom blocks at Lamoki primary school in Anaka and gave out goats in Pabali, Ywaya, Todora and Lamoki parishes.