The Uganda Wildlife Authority has arrested four poachers in the southern Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park over the death of a gorilla known as Rafiki, the silverback of the famous Nkuringo Group.

The arrest follows investigations into the silverback’s death by our personnel after a post-mortem report revealed that the silverback sustained an injury by a sharp device or object that penetrated its left upper part of the abdomen up to the internal organs.

UWA has arrested Byamukama Felix, a resident of Murole village, Nteko Parish, Nyabwishenya Subcounty in Kisoro District. He was found in possession of bush pig meat as well as materials used in hunting such as rope snares, spears etc.

Byamukama also confessed to killing the gorilla in self defence when he had gone hunting in the protected national park. He also reveled that together with Bampabenda Evarist, they came into contact with Rafiki who charged at them and they killed him with a spear in self defence.

Two more arrests were made by the UWA Team and these include Museveni Valence and Mubangizi Yonasi with whom Byamukama shared the bush meat. The two were arrested on June 7th 2020.

All the four suspects are detained at Kisoro Police Station and are awaiting trial in Ugandan Courts of Law.

Rafiki went missing on June 1st 2020 and his body was found on June 2nd 2020. A postmortem report indicated that he died of wounds from a sharp object that seems to be a spear. His body was found in Hakato Area inside Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.