BabuK
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- Jul 30, 2008
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Dar es salaam's Special Zone police have arrested four persons in whose possession were found 214 elephant tusks and five bones a collection worth some 2.2bn/- ironically wrapped in plastic bags that bear the National flag.
In a country that is losing 30 elephants a day it brings mixed feelings to learn that 107 more elephants have been brutally killed.
Addressing reporters yesterday, the Dar es Salaam Special Zonal police commander, Suleiman Kova said the suspects were arrested on Saturday at Kimara Stop Over following a tip by what police are calling ‘good samaritans' who informed them of a house where the stolen government trophies.
When police raided the premises where one Peter Kabi and house mate Leonida Kabi are the identified tenants, they found alleged stolen properties including television sets, computers, two refrigerators, mattresses, microwaves and other properties.
Police also recovered five elephant bones weighing about 450.6 kgs they also found ten other bones packed with white cement. They are yet to be identified.
The suspects were identified as Polisi Simon, (42) who is a commuter bus driver, Charles Wainaine (41) a resident of Tarakea in Rombo district who is apparently a blood relative to another suspect, Peter Kabi, both from Kenya.
Kova reported that the said persons have been notorious in the trade and their arrest puts a significant dent in the crime ring that they are involved with.
"The plan was to transport the trophies in a van driven by Polisi Simon…" Kova explained, adding:"…they would then place a coffin covered with the national flag to resemble the funeral procession of a state official…" said the commander who further explained that the culprits intended to export the trophies via Tarakea, a Tanzanian border district with Kenya.
Police are also holding a woman, Leonida Kabi, a Tanzanian, who attempted to bribe the police during the arrest. She had allegedly promised to immediately pay of 15m/- and an undisclosed amount the following day.
"The suspects will appear in court immediately…" Kova assured the public.
This arrest comes but a week after the government of Tanzania disowned a consignment of elephants tusks seized in Hong Kong that were reported to have been shipped from the country. The wildlife officer in the ministry of Tourism and natural resources, Paul Sarakikya said such a consignment could not have been collected from Tanzania but did not explain why. The seized consignment is said to have been worth USD3.4million equivalent to 6bn/- Tshs.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
In a country that is losing 30 elephants a day it brings mixed feelings to learn that 107 more elephants have been brutally killed.
Addressing reporters yesterday, the Dar es Salaam Special Zonal police commander, Suleiman Kova said the suspects were arrested on Saturday at Kimara Stop Over following a tip by what police are calling ‘good samaritans' who informed them of a house where the stolen government trophies.
When police raided the premises where one Peter Kabi and house mate Leonida Kabi are the identified tenants, they found alleged stolen properties including television sets, computers, two refrigerators, mattresses, microwaves and other properties.
Police also recovered five elephant bones weighing about 450.6 kgs they also found ten other bones packed with white cement. They are yet to be identified.
The suspects were identified as Polisi Simon, (42) who is a commuter bus driver, Charles Wainaine (41) a resident of Tarakea in Rombo district who is apparently a blood relative to another suspect, Peter Kabi, both from Kenya.
Kova reported that the said persons have been notorious in the trade and their arrest puts a significant dent in the crime ring that they are involved with.
"The plan was to transport the trophies in a van driven by Polisi Simon…" Kova explained, adding:"…they would then place a coffin covered with the national flag to resemble the funeral procession of a state official…" said the commander who further explained that the culprits intended to export the trophies via Tarakea, a Tanzanian border district with Kenya.
Police are also holding a woman, Leonida Kabi, a Tanzanian, who attempted to bribe the police during the arrest. She had allegedly promised to immediately pay of 15m/- and an undisclosed amount the following day.
"The suspects will appear in court immediately…" Kova assured the public.
This arrest comes but a week after the government of Tanzania disowned a consignment of elephants tusks seized in Hong Kong that were reported to have been shipped from the country. The wildlife officer in the ministry of Tourism and natural resources, Paul Sarakikya said such a consignment could not have been collected from Tanzania but did not explain why. The seized consignment is said to have been worth USD3.4million equivalent to 6bn/- Tshs.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
