Amuru Grade Magistrate Court on Friday ordered a 49-year old poacher to pay 1.6 million for killing a Uganda Kob at Murchison Falls National park in Nwoya district.
Magistrate Edward Okot fined George Okello Lawaya, a resident of Langele village in Koch Goma Sub County in Nwoya district for killing the protected animal valued at US$ 450 (about 1.52m shillings).
Lawaya was charged with five counts among them illegally entering area gazetted for wildlife, killing protect species, entering the park without authority and being in possession of deadly weapon.
Prosecution led by Ponsiano Okello told court that Lawaya entered a wildlife protected area without authorities contrary to section 22 (1) and 74 of the UWA act cap 200 of 2000 on January 11, 2016 with others who are still at large.
Okello argued that Lawaya was arrested around River Latona in within Murchison Falls National Park with three metal traps, three spears and two pangas.
Okello told court the devices that were found with Lawaya are dangerous and capable of killing, injuring and capturing wildlife.
Prosecution added that Okello was also found in possession of game meat.
Magistrate Okot sentenced the poacher to serve a 3 month- jail-term for entering a protected area illegally and another 3-month for entering wildlife protected area without authority or pay a fine of 450,000 shillings.
The Magistrate also ordered Lawaya to pay 450,000 shillings or serve 23-month jail term for killing a protected animal species and an additional 100, 000 shillings or serve a 12 month jail term for bringing devices which can kill, injure or capture wildlife.
According to the Magistrate, all the sentences will run concurrently.
The Kob appears on Uganda’s court of arms to represent the east African nation’s abundant wildlife.
Along with the crested crane, Ugandan Kob is considered a very important symbol of Uganda.
Tom Okello Obong, the Area Murchison Falls National Park blamed the rampant illegal killings of wild animals on the rise in the demand of game meat in restaurants major towns such as Gulu, Masindi and Nwoya.
Wild meat is a delicacy in most Acholi sub region.
A kilo of game meat can go for as much as Ug Shs35,000 in the local market while cow beef is between UgShs. 8,000- 10,000.
Local authorities in Nwoya district have on several occasions warned communities against poaching at Murchison Falls National Park advising that the act is illegal.
Oryema warned that those who survived arrest by game rangers on patrol inside the wild animals’ infested game park always end up being killed by wild animals.
At least five poachers have been killed by wild animals inside Murchison Falls National Game Park last year alone.
2 Comments
Hunting is our African culture which should be taught to younger generations too. Local government should have areas where people can hunt freely in their lands. The native people used to survive with these animals around because they had the skills e.g. they would kill older animals and leave the younger ones to replenish. Just like cutting trees etc. We should find the right mechanism to promote it with proper education from the older generations.
Very true Guest, look at the you tube video, a white man can hunt, it is called sports, but a Black person is labelled a poacher in his own land where God put him to live, survive, and enjoy!
https://youtu.be/vjNcUFbvLp8?t=5
https://youtu.be/vjNcUFbvLp8