A 24-year-old Makerere University student has been arrested over trafficking 31 monkeys that he was set to sell in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.
According to Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga, Fredrick Lubega, 24 was arrested together with Isborn Ankunda , a suspected wildlife trafficker in Makindye division.
The duo according to police were found with 22 black and white colobus monkeys, and by the time of arrest, 15 were alive and seven dead as well as nine black monkeys, five dead and four alive and seven Gabon vipers , four of them dead.
“These are 31 monkeys and seven Gabon vipers that they were trafficking and had been packed in 15 boxes and being transported in a vehicle at Kikorongo fisheries checkpoint,” Enanga said.
He noted that the wildlife species were being transported to neighbouring DRC from where they would be exported to Europe and Asia.
“We established that in DRC, they were to be exported to markets in Europe and Asia for monetary purposes but also for dietary purposes in DRC.”
Enanga said they were handed over to Uganda Wildlife Authority officials to set free live ones to their natural habitats while the suspects await court.