The Criminal Investigations Department of police has confirmed to the arrest of David Kisitu, a suspect that has been on the run since December 2020, on charges of possession of prohibited wildlife species.
The arrest follows a police search mounted in December 2020 after intelligence reports indicated that the car in which he was travelling-UAG 419W, (Toyota Premio), from Bundibujjo had pieces of Ivory.
The CID Spokesperson, ASP Charles Twine on Wednesday said the suspect had abandoned the vehicle at the home of a one-Kasaija Moses in Kabarole following a pursue by the Police.
He said police recovered four elephant trunks, a photocopy of a driving permit in the names of Kisitu David Kisakye upon search.
On 11th Feb,2021, the suspect-David Kisitu handed himself to police and will according to police be charged before the Utility Court at Buganda Road, with unlawful Possession of Protected Species contrary to sections 36(1) &71(1)(b) of Uganda Wild Life Authority Act 2019.
Authorities from the Wildlife Centre equate the trunks to 22 kgs of Ivory.Wildlife trafficking has over the years become a lucrative transnational crime and Uganda Police has since joined global efforts in ensuring that this illegal wildlife trade is curtailed.
Research indicates that thousands of wild animals are poached, farmed or sold into global multi-billion dollar trade for food, pets, raw materials, traditional medicine and sometimes for entertainment.
upf release.
