By Benson Tumusiime
Police in Oyam District with the help of Natural Resources Conservation Network (NRCN) has arrested one person in possession of 53kgs of Hippo Teeth and 30kgs of ivory.
The trafficker was identified as Ocilo Sadique, a 30year old Ugandan male and resident of Onea B Village in Kamdini Sub County Oyam district. He  was arrested with both Hippo and Elephant ivory worth Shs.12.8m.
The suspect has since been transferred to Kampala and is being held at Central Police Station (CPS) Kampala as he awaits trial at the wildlife and utilities court on Buganda Road.
In 2014, Ocilo was arrested in the same area of Onea B with two AK47 rifles and served two years and Six months in Isimba prison and was released on the 23/09/2016. Ocilo pleaded guilty to the charges of illegal possession of firearms.
According to the District Police Commander Gulu, Ocilo will be charged with Unlawful possession of protected species contrary to Sections 30 and 75 (b) of the Uganda Wildlife Act CAP 200 which provides for the offence of unlawful possession of protected species and the punishment is a fine of not less than 1m or not more than 5 years imprisonment and in any case the fine must be not less than the value of the wildlife product involved.
He also urged members of the community to respect and protect wildlife in the community for the roles they play in the protection of our environment.
