Ivory scandal: UPDF colonel implicated as six are detained
At least six people implicated in theft over ivory in Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) stores have been paraded as detectives ponder quizzing a Uganda Peoples Defence Force colonel who was in charge of the store keys
KAMPALA. At least six people implicated in theft over ivory in Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) stores have been paraded as detectives ponder quizzing a Uganda Peoples Defence Force colonel who was in charge of the store keys.
The six suspects are being held at Jinja Road Police Station on charges of store breaking and theft.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesman, Mr Patrick Onyango, said the detained suspects include an ivory dealer and UWA rangers.
“Unfortunately, we were unable to arrest Lance Corporal Everest Seete, 49. He shot himself dead as our officers were about to arrest him. We are yet to arrest more people within UWA and security agencies who have been mentioned in the crime,” Mr Onyango said.
The UPDF colonel implicated in the crime was in charge of the security of the strong room.
Last year, ivory worth Shs3billion was stolen from UWA strong room prompting President Yoweri Museveni to order police for an investigation.
The theft of the ivory led to suspension of senior officials in Uganda Peoples Defence Force and UWA. Among the officials was UWA executive director Dr. Andrew Sseguya who was temporally suspended to pave way for investigations.
A police preliminary investigations report findings indicate that several methods were used to steal the ivory.
“At one point, the UWA officers used the time when the minister of tourism was supposed to inspect the recovered ivory between the month of April and May to steal some of the pieces,” the report read in part.
At another point, the report states, the stores were some time opened using duplicate keys and it was done at night between April and July 2014.
The report states that the breaking and theft couldn’t have been done without inside sources.
“Since three UWA officers had keys of different doors to the strong room, the theft couldn’t have been done without those officers collaborating,” the police report read further.
Mr Jossy Muhangi, UWA spokesman, on Wednesday confirmed the arrest of UWA rangers and added that the Authority is “fully cooperating with the detectives in the investigations”.
“Our legal team has gone to the police to talk to detectives. It is from what they will get that will assess to take decision (at institutional level),” Mr Muhangi said.
