AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE Police Force in Manyara Region is holding five people over allegations of killing 11 zebras and a giraffe calf.
He named them as Maneka Gidungule (44), Gwadida Kwalisan (60), Gidafari Ngenoi (60), Paschal Gwandu (19) and Lwagegasi Gidungule (32).
The suspects, all of whom are Minjingu villagers in Babati District, were arrested in collaboration with anti-poaching unit paramilitary officers from Tarangire National Park.
Manyara Regional Police Commander (RPC) Paulo Kasabago told reporters that the incident occurred on April 22, this year, between 1800hrs and 2100hrs.
“We have completed investigations and the file has been forwarded to the state attorney so that the process for charging the accused starts,” said Commander Kasabago.
Commenting on the issue, Babati District Commissioner Ms Elizabeth Kitundu, said that they were yet to establish fully the reasons behind the killings, which had disappeared in the district for a long time.
However, she said that preliminary investigations showed that the animals had been eating crops in the accused persons’ farms.
“It is said that the people were retaliating against the animals for eating maize in their farms,” Ms Kitundu said.
She cautioned wananchi, stressing that in the event of facing any problems, they should submit reports to the authorities, for appropriate actions to be taken in accordance with the law.
