Kampala, Uganda: The Chief Magistrate of the Standards, Utilities and Wildlife Court at Makindye has sentenced Alyet Felix to six years’ imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to unlawfully possessing protected wildlife specimens.
Her Worship Kamasanyu Gladys handed down the sentence on Wednesday, convicting Felix of unlawfully possessing six pieces of elephant ivory weighing 90.70 kilograms without a permit, contrary to Section 71(1)(b) of the Uganda Wildlife Act, Cap. 315.
Court heard that on December 21, 2025, Felix, together with other suspects who remain at large, was found in possession of the ivory at Owang Trading Centre in Apac District.
The ivory had been concealed in a sack of groundnuts in an apparent attempt to evade detection by law enforcement authorities.
While delivering the sentence, Her Worship Kamasanyu observed that ivory-related offences remain widespread in Uganda and continue to fuel elephant poaching and the illegal wildlife trade.
She noted that such crimes pose a significant threat to elephant populations, particularly around Murchison Falls National Park, and emphasised that Uganda remains both a source and an important transit route for ivory destined for international illegal markets.
The magistrate stressed the need for deterrent sentences to protect endangered wildlife and combat transnational wildlife crime.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) welcomed the conviction, describing it as another important step in the country’s fight against illegal wildlife trafficking.
In a statement, UWA commended the Judiciary for its continued commitment to combating wildlife crime through firm and deterrent sentences.
The Authority reaffirmed its commitment to working with other law enforcement agencies and the public to combat illegal wildlife trade and safeguard Uganda’s rich wildlife heritage.
Uganda has in recent years strengthened enforcement of the Uganda Wildlife Act, with tougher penalties aimed at deterring poaching, trafficking and the illegal possession of protected wildlife species and their products.
If you would like your article/opinion to be published on Uganda’s most authoritative news platform, send your submission on: [email protected]. You can also follow DailyExpress on WhatsApp and on Twitter (X) for realtime updates.
