POLICE in Rukwa have arrested four people over being in possession of elephant tusks valued at over 130m/- while scouting for prospective buyers.
The Rukwa Regional Police Commander (RPC), Mr Justine Masonje, told the ‘Daily News’ over the phone that the interview and named them as Philemon Ntibasinga, (31) the owner of a pharmacy in Katete Ward in Kalambo District, which borders Zambia, Baraka Simbeye (31) and Yona Msumo (31) both from Mnamba village, and Clement Salum (41) from Lupa village in Chunya District, Mbeya Region.
According to the RPC the arrest of the suspects shortly after midnight on last Thursday was made possible by cooperation from game rangers of Tanzania National Parks (Tanapa) from Katavi National Park.
“The seized national trophies were hidden in the house of Ntibasinga while being transported from Lupa village to Safi village by Salum,” added the RPC.
While at Matai township, the Tanapa South Zone Assistant Commissioner, Dr Christopher Timbuka told reporters, the seized tusks were cut into 24 pieces, equivalent to eight tusks from eight poached jumbos weighing 57 kilogrames, whose value is over 139m/-.
According to Dr Timbuka, the pieces of the national trophies were hidden in two travelling bags
