The Gulu Chief Magistrates Court has today (Friday) remanded a 34-year-old woman on charges of alleged illegal possession of wildlife species.
Florence Auma, a resident of Agung Village in Anaka Sub-county, Nwoya District was remanded to Nwoya government prison after the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) officers purportedly found her in possession of eight pieces of smoked game meat, dry tails of a buffalo and Jackson hartebeest, two horns and a leg of the Uganda Kob and a metallic snare.
She was arrested on May 15, 2021, for allegedly committing the offence contrary to Section 71 (a) of the Uganda Wildlife Act 2019.
Appearing before the chief magistrate, Francis Dawa Matenga, Auma pleaded not guilty to the offence and was remanded until June 10, 2021 when she is expected to reappear before court for hearing of the case.
The law
The highest penalty for a person found guilty of an offence related to wildlife species classified as extinct or critically endangered, according to the new Act is a maximum fine of Shs20b or life imprisonment.
Such wildlife species classified as extinct are roan antelopes, lions, hunting dogs, spotted and stripped hyenas, greater and lesser kudus, Ssese Island Sitatunga, cheetah, Delany’s mouse and African elephants.
While endangered species include impala, Rwenzori duiker, Rothschild’s giraffe, mountain gorilla and the common chimpanzee.
