Three arrested in possession of Crested Cranes

The grey crowned crane, also known as the African crowned crane, golden crested crane, golden crowned crane, East African crane, East African crowned crane, is Uganda’s most respected bird[s] (PHOTO/File).

KISORO – Three people in Kisoro district are in police custody after they were arrested over illegal possession of Crested Cranes.

The trio was arrested on Thursday 2, 2020, as they headed to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with Uganda’s most respected birds.

The suspects included; George Habyarimana 25, a resident of Busanza Sub County, Dan Iradukunda a 22 years old resident of Bunagana in Muramba Sub County and Hillary Tumushime, 28 a Boda Boda cyclist at Bunagana stage.

Samuel Amanya, Chief Warden Mughinga National Park told our reporter that they have for a long time received complaints of people trafficking Crested Cranes to DRC for some traditional rituals.

According to Christopher Ruhunde, the Kisoro District Police Commander, the suspects are in custody at Kisoro Central Police Station pending investigations into their fate.

Iradukunda and Habyarimana narrated to our reporter who found them at the police station of how they had gotten the Crested Crane market in the DRC to a Congolese woman only identified as Eva at UGX150,000 each.

However, Tumushiime denied knowledge about Crested Cranes trafficking, saying that the duo was his normal customers on his boda boda operations.