Saturday December 12, 2009
Local News

Loliondo camp manager, suspected of killing elephant, vanishes amid


MARC NKWAME in Arusha, 11th December 2009

THE Manager in-charge at the Kleins Camp tourist facility has mysteriously vanished, amid allegations of illegal hunting activities. Kleins Camp which is located near Ololosokwan Village, in Loliondo Game Controlled Area, happens to be where a dead elephant, whose tusks were missing, was recently discovered by local officials.

The Ngorongoro District authorities have, however, assured that the suspect, who disappeared on Thursday, will be hunted down, wherever he is and be brought back to help both the police and game rangers.

The manager is said to be either a South African or hailing from Botswana where he is suspected to have fled to. Mr Andrew Nicole was the in-charge at Kleins Camp, a tourist facility owned by South Africa's 'And Beyond' hotel chain.

He is accused of killing, or at least being involved in the questionable death of the huge elephant whose remains were discovered at an airstrip belonging to the hotel, near Ololosokwan with both tusks removed.

The District Commissioner, Mr Elias Wawa Lali, said that while local authorities were investigating the matter, the elephant carcass was discovered on November 29 by a team of special parliamentary committee members which had camped in Loliondo.

The committee was in Loliondo to investigate recent conflicts between local residents and the giant hunting outfit; Ortello Business Corporation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

"The parliamentary committee, led by its chairman, Mr Job Ndugai, had made a surprise visit to the airstrip and discovered the freshly killed elephant with its valuable tusks missing," said Mr Wawa Lali.

"Surprisingly, the management of Kleins Camp did not report the death of the jumbo despite the remains being in their locality. The committee directed us (the district officials), to investigate the case," said the DC. "The suspect has left the country and reliable sources say that he flew to Botswana.

"We have already communicated with relevant authorities, including the Arusha Regional Commissioner, Mr Isidori Shirima, and the Prime Minister's Office to have the manager brought back into the country to help with the investigations," added Mr Lali.

Also missing is Kleins Camp's chief driver, a person identified by the single name of Mr Erasto who went missing as soon as the manager left the country on Thursday. Efforts to contact the 'And Beyond' management at the company's Arusha offices were still not successful by the time we went to press.

These companies must really start paying their managers better....

quote:

Originally posted by David Hulme:
These companies must really start paying their managers better....

tsk, tsk, or should that be tusk, tusk!

Joking aside, I don't know if anyone else has been there, but it's a fantastic camp and area!

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:

quote:

Originally posted by David Hulme:
These companies must really start paying their managers better....

tsk, tsk, or should that be tusk, tusk!

Joking aside, I don't know if anyone else has been there, but it's a fantastic camp and area!

Maybe 'Ole Erasto could shed more light on the subject - I doubt Andrew did a bunk; more than likely
gone south for the Xmas holidays.