Local News

10 arrested with tusks in Katavi

POLICE  in  Mpanda District in Katavi  Region  have  arrested  ten  people including  two women  for allegedly being in unlawful possession of government trophies worth  over 80m/- and impounded two vehicles used for transporting the contraband.

The Katavi Regional Police Commander, Mr  Dhahiri  Kidavashari, told journalists that the suspects were arrested at different locations after good citizens informed police and wardens at the Katavi National Park.

The RPC said vehicles that were impounded during the operation have registration numbers -- T983TZJ and T463 BZW. Also impounded, he said, were five saws, two weighing scales and  four travelling bags in  which  the  pieces  of  elephant  tusks  were  loaded.

Others items were five elephant tusks worth over 73m/- and carcass of buffalo valued 7.5m/-Mr Kadavashari  further  noted that  the  five  suspects  were arrested at Msanginya  village  in  the  district  along  the Mpanda -- Tabora road for being in unlawful  possession  of  three  elephant  tusks   worth over  50m/-.

RPC named the suspects as  Joseph Mahundi  alias Ngondo (59) from Kigoma  Region , Msafiri Nyirawi (36) and Abubakari  Mhina  (25) a  driver,  both residents  from  Dodoma .

Others were  Peter Mashihamvula (55), a resident of Kawajense area  in Mpanda and  David Simwanza  (38) a resident  from  Lwasho  village in Mbozi District, Mbeya Region.

According to the RPC the government trophies were impounded while being transported to Dodoma in the Noah  car  with  registration  number T983TZJ.

In another development, three suspects including two women were arrested in unlawful possession of two elephant tusks worth 24m/-.The RPC  named  them  as Rose Bwigilo (36), from Kimara Mwisho  in Dar Es Salaam, Adelina  Alphonce  (39) a resident  of Tabata  and  John Venance (26) also from Dar es  Salaam  who  driving   Noah  car  with  registration  number  T463 BZW

Yet in  another incident  two  suspects  named as Juma Ngeleka (30) a resident of Kawajense area  in Mpanda and John Mlelwa (25)  from   Inyoga  village in  Mlele District  were arrested  for allegedly being in possession of  buffalo'   carcass  worth over 7.5m/-