A Ugandan court sentenced a man to life in prison for possessing nearly 10 kg of elephant ivory, the country’s highest penalty for wildlife violations ever, authorities said on Friday.
According to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), after being convicted of illegal possession of protected species, Pascal Achiba was sentenced by the country’s Standards, Utilities, and Wildlife Court.
Achiba was apprehended in January in a Kampala suburb with two pieces of ivory weighing 9.55 kg.
UWA President Sam Mwandha called the sentence “a watershed moment in the fight against illegal wildlife trade.”
Poaching and illegal wildlife trade are common in Uganda, where police frequently seize large quantities of ivory, rhino horns, pangolin scales, and other wildlife products.
Achiba had previously served 18 months in prison for possessing four pieces of ivory, so he was sentenced to life in prison as a deterrent.
