Suspected poachers arrested with game meat in L. Mburo NP

POLICE | UWA | POACHING 

KIRIHURA - The law enforcement team of Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) have arrested three suspected poachers for allegedly killing impalas and zebras in Lake Mburo National Park in Kiruhura district.

Moses Africa is the warden law enforcement officer at the national park in western Uganda.

He told New Vision that they got a tip off on Wednesday morning that people were selling and sharing game meat in Rwentondo village.

They launched an operation and found five people selling and sharing meat inside a residential house belonging to a one Andrew Twesigye. 

Three were arrested with the meat - later seized as exhibit - while two managed to evade arrest and vanished.

The arrested suspects are Twesigye, a resident of Rwentondo in Mbarara South Division, and boda boda riders Samson Nuwamanya and John Kiyemba, who operate from Mbarara town.

Security personnel show a head of Impala after recovering wild meat from suspected poachers in Rwentondo village, Kakoba, Mbarara City on Wednesday. (All Photos by Fred Turyakira)

The enforcement team seized six heads of impala and about 150 kilos of impala meat, two zebra carcasses and about 80 kilos of goat meat.

Two motorcycles and a bicycle believed to have been used to transport the meat, saucepans containing cooked meat as well as dried bones were also recovered during the operation.

Africa claimed the suspects are believed to be serial poachers that have been terrorizing wild animals grazing on people’s farms.

He said they reportedly kill the game and mix their meat with goat meat, which they sell to hotels and roadside mchomo dealers.

Africa said the national park loses at least two impalas every week to poaching, which he said is threatening the existence of the species.

Queen Edith, also a law enforcement officer in Lake Mburo, said the poachers are threatening not only wild animals, but also the lives of wardens protecting them.

The trickle-down effect is the loss of government tourism revenue, she added.

The three suspects were taken to Sanga Police station in Kiruhura district and will be arraigned before court after investigations on the charges preferred against them.

If convicted, the suspects face imprisonment of anywhere from seven years to life behind bars.