Audio By Carbonatix
A court in Uganda’s capital Kampala has sentenced an ivory trader to life in prison.
Pascal Ochiba was arrested in January this year with two pieces of ivory weighing nearly 10kg.
The magistrate said that Mr Ochiba was a repeat offender and deserved the maximum sentence, for the future protection of endangered species.
In July 2017, Mr Ochiba was arrested with four pieces of ivory and the skin of an okapi and sent to prison.
Okapi are rare forest animals with zebra-like markings and are endemic to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority's executive director, Sam Mwandha, described the ruling as a landmark achievement in the fight against illegal wildlife trade.
In 2019, the country passed a law imposing life imprisonment for people convicted of poaching or trafficking in endangered species.
There are just over 7,900 elephants left in the wild in Uganda, and the species are endangered.
Latest Stories
-
Martin Kpebu says he has not been formally charged by OSP
3 minutes -
Why not clean energy: Cost or access?
5 minutes -
Minority sounds alarm over fuel shortages crippling Ghana’s fishing communities
6 minutes -
Minority calls for urgent action to shield farmers from rising production challenges
9 minutes -
AGRA Ghana salutes Farmers as nation marks Farmers’ Day
24 minutes -
Bawumia’s favourability rises, widens lead in new Global Info analytics survey
26 minutes -
Minority accuses gov’t of neglect after GH¢5bn rice left to waste
32 minutes -
Why Tsatsu Tsikata’s legacy is Ghana’s future
36 minutes -
Farmers need support all year, not just awards’ — Prof. Boadi
45 minutes -
Spotify ranks ‘Konnected Minds’ Ghana’s No. 1 Podcast for 2025
48 minutes -
Minority caucus push for modern AI-driven agricultural and fisheries revolution
50 minutes -
Mahama reaffirms Ghana’s commitment to ending HIV/AIDS by 2030
50 minutes -
Martin Kpebu poised to defend claims against Special Prosecutor – Counsel
55 minutes -
Kareweh criticises govts for policies that look good but achieve little in agriculture
56 minutes -
Galamsey is killing our cocoa, our water, our future – Minority warns of food security meltdown
59 minutes