Ivory arrest irks family Simon Liseli Thursday, August 21, 2014 - 08:00 News The family of a man arrested for possession of ivory is crying foul as his alleged accomplice is still walking free. Family members of Diwandamo Katango, who was arrested by Bwabwata Nature Park conservation officials in early January this year at Omega 3 in the Western Zambezi Region maintain the arrest has been unfair. According to the family, Katango went into the bush looking for wild fruit and found the tusks in the bush. He didn’t touch them and when he returned to the village he reported his find to the Village Development Committee (VDC), which ignored the matter. Apparently after he reported the matter, Dwara Johnbra came to him and convinced him to collect the tusks, after which they hid it behind the village and Katango was told by Johnbra that he will get customers to buy the ivory. Family members allege that when Johnbra failed to find customers he called the nature conservation officials to arrest Katango. “Our brother was arrested but Dwara was found with the tusks, why didn’t they arrest him or arrest both of them?” Joseph Mahingi, a family member asked. They added that if Johnbra was not thinking of selling the tusks he should have reported the matter to the Kyaramacani Association and VDC who are responsible for the area. “That’s why we have that association and VDC. He (Johnbra) should get arrested also; he didn’t even follow procedures, but my brother reported to the VDC after he found the tusks. His kids are now suffering as their mother passed away and now their father in custody,” Mahingi noted. The family maintains that the association and VDC are not following up the issue, apart from saying the possession of elephant tusks are prohibited.
Posted on: Fri, 22 Aug 2014 14:00:00 +0000
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