By Katura Wokorach-Oboi
Kitgum Central Police on Thursday and Friday turned into a tourist attraction of sorts after residents flocked to the station to have a view of two rare and endangered animals rescued by the police.
The two Pangolins (Okong, in Luo), thought to be male and female, were rescued at about 6pm on Thursday at Northern Rock Bar and Lodge in Apollo Grounds, a residential-cum-commercial area in the centre of Kitgum municipality.
The rare game were impounded from four suspects, including a police officer who were trying to sell the animals at 50 million shilling to unidentified would-be buyers.
The suspects are: Okidi Richard, an Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) personnel based in Orom sub-county, Alimambo Patrick, Olara Denis Saidi and Okot Sam, all from Kitgum district.
They reportedly hunted and captured the Pangolins from Orom, which neighbours Kidepo Valley National Game Park.
When residents in and around Kitgum town learnt that the scaly animals had been taken to the CPS alongside the suspects, suddenly a huge crowd surged to the police to have a look at the animals, most of them, for their very first time.
This writer on Friday morning found the Kitgum Chief Magistrate, His Worship Okongo Japyem, who had gone to the police station to view the rare animals.
“Everybody was interested in seeing the animals, [on Thursday evening]; the station was full of people who wanted to view. And it was also my first time to see Pangolins,” said Okello John Patrick, the Kitgum Officer- in- Charge of Criminal Intelligence.
Pangolins also referred to as ‘anteaters’ are endangered species that are found in tropical Africa and Asia. It’s on high demand in china and Vietnam where its meat is a delicacy and some believe its scales has medicinal values.
Okello said Police in Kitgum were tipped off by Uganda Wildlife Conservation Centre staff.
“They contacted us through Regional Police in Gulu that a product of wildlife was being sold in our district,” said Okello who added that it was easy to nab the suspects.
Police said the suspects would be charged under the Wildlife Act Sections 30 and 75 9 (b) which talks of “prohibition of utilization of wildlife without wildlife user rights”.
Police say the suspects will be produced in court once their files are sanctioned.
The police cautioned those involved in dealing in wild animals and their products to stop forthwith or be caught and prosecuted.
The presence of Pangolins at Kitgum CPS was a nightmare for members of the Force as they produced a repugnant pungent smell that put off people at the police counter where the animals where being kept.
Police officers were also at loss on what to feed the animals, which scurried around looking for food, on.
Oficers tossed posho also meant for suspects to the animals but they did not eat it.
According to Wikipedia, Pangolins diet consists mostly of various species of ants and termites and may be supplemented by other insects, especially larvae.
“They are somewhat particular and tend to consume only one or two species of insects, even when many species are available to them”.
The police said the Pangolins would be handed over to the Uganda Wildlife Authorities.
2 Comments
Acholi Times thank you for putting the picture of such rare species of animals found in Acholi land. I have never heard of or even seen a picture of the animal. They look a little bit more like armadillo but they are not. Wow what a scally type of a creature?
Net work for smuggling wildlife to the western world is fully established by foreigners in the country, so the hard life hitting local people forced people to get involved in this crime. There are shops/stores businesses in western worlds with all kinds of animals and birds from Africa. Solve the network issue. 2nd allow local people to hunt wild life in game reserved for food, not only entitling foreigners to hunt and enjoy the meats in the name of tourism and money which benefit no one except the tourists guides who end up with bones. https://youtu.be/vT4HfWZnhkg; Hunt Report Uganda – Sitatunga
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