KAMPALA – A Ugandan court has sentenced Sudanese lawyer Ahmad Abdelmonim Altigani Ahmed to either pay a fine of UGX 140 million (about USD 37,000) or serve five years in prison after he was caught attempting to smuggle 436 pieces of elephant ivory through Entebbe International Airport.
The ivory, disguised as wood samples, was intercepted during routine checks. Upon completion of his sentence or payment of the fine, Ahmed will be deported.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), which spearheaded the investigation, welcomed the ruling, stressing its zero-tolerance stance toward illegal wildlife trade. “We are determined to combat wildlife crime in all its forms,” UWA said in a statement.
Uganda’s location at the heart of the East African wildlife corridor has made it a frequent transit point for ivory trafficked from Central Africa to markets in Asia. Entebbe Airport has increasingly become a frontline in efforts to intercept smugglers.
The case adds to a growing list of ivory-related prosecutions in Uganda. In 2017, authorities intercepted one ton of ivory, while a 2014 probe revealed 1.35 metric tons had gone missing from government stockpiles, sparking concerns about corruption and enforcement gaps.
Conservationists warn that Africa has lost more than 60 percent of its elephant population in the past decade due to poaching. In response, Uganda has strengthened its wildlife laws, and courts have adopted tougher sentencing to deter offenders.
The Wildlife Court in Kampala has been hailed as a regional model for prosecuting environmental crimes. As a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), Uganda is under pressure to meet global commitments on biodiversity protection.
Wildlife trafficking is one of the world’s most lucrative transnational crimes, valued at over USD 20 billion annually. UWA officials say Uganda will not allow its territory to be used as a conduit. “Wildlife is our heritage, and we must protect it,” the agency affirmed.