Police in Agago has arrested three farmers from Lapono Sub County for killing two stray elephants from Kidepo National Park.
The elephants were killed last month but the suspects were only apprehended by police on Thursday last week.
Farmers in Lapono say elephants have been destroying their crops and are a threat to their life.
Agago district police commander, Albert Onyango, said the farmers were arrested as suspects in the death of the elephants after police recovered tusks from their houses.
DPC Onyango identified the suspects as Martin Ojok, Franco Okello and, Paul Otto, all residents of Kaket parish, Lapono Sub-county.
“Communities must not take matters of security into their hands. They should instead inform police of attacks by wild animals instead of killing the elephants,” said Onyango.
Catherine Aloyo, a farmer in Lapono Sub County complained that she incurred losses after the elephants trumped in her garden, destroying her crops.
She told Acholi Times that those who killed the elephants were angered by the damage the animals had done on their farms.
The Kidepo National Park Community Warden, Walter Odokorwot, condemned the attack on the wildlife.
Odokorwot said besides killing the elephants, the community also undressed police officers who were conducting an operation to arrest suspects in connection with the killing of the animals.
Odokorwot said they [Kidepo park authorities] will not compensate for the damage done by the animals in communities neighbouring the park because the wild life act does not have a provision to compensate for damages committed by wild animals.
He advised communities to grow chili around their gardens to keep wildlife away from their property.
1 Comment
Onyango your words are a threat to the villagers. You do not compensate people but dangerous animals can roam around in their villages so that their lives/food-crops are at risk? If animals attack you in your garden what comes first? You defend yourself. Leave the villagers to rebuild their lives. The wild animals in Acoli belong to the people of Acoli. We are hunters that is our culture which should be respected.
Wuwek bedo ka bwuro lutedero. Wacon kiye ni dano gudwar dwar kama cok ki nget gangi gi. Lee pe pire tek loyo dano.