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Kampala, Uganda | GODFREY SSALI | Police with the help of Natural Resource Conservation Network (NRCN) has arrested four people in possession of pangolin scales and hippo teeth in Kasese and Kampala.
Ivan Tuhaiirwe and Davis Kateregga were arrested in possession of 50 kilograms of pangolin scales worth Sh7million which they tried to sell at Nabweru playground.
Meanwhile Job Bwebale and Swalik Kakuru were also arrested in Katunguru in Kasese district in possession of 29 kilograms of Hippo teeth worth Sh6 million Uganda.
The suspects are currently being held at Central Police station Kampala and Kasese respectively.
According to NRCN legal officer and lead prosecutor in the case Winnie Namayenje, the four will be charged with unlawful possession of a protected species contrary to sections 30 and 75 (b) of the Uganda Wildlife Act CAP 200 .
Upon conviction for the offence of unlawful possession of protected species, the punishment will be a fine of not less than sh1million or not more than five years imprisonment and in any case the fine must be not less than the value of the wildlife product involved.
Namayenje noted that the offence is on the increase within Kampala while in Kasese it’s because it’s surrounded by the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
