Police have in custody one David Kisitu a fugitive 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.
According to ASP Charles Twine Mansio the CID Spokesperson, the suspect had abandoned the vehicle at a home of one-Kasaija Moses in Kabarole following a pursuit by the Police.
At the time, four (04) elephant trunks, as well as the photocopy of a driving permit in the names of Kisitu David Kisakye were recovered upon search. On 11th Feb,2021, the suspect-David Kisitu handed himself in and will be charged before the Utility Court at Buganda Road, with unlawful Possession of Protected Species Contrary to Section 36(1) &71(1)(b) of Uganda Wild Life Authority Act 2019.
Twine added that 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.
