Bobs Mbaya Kabongo, the Congolese National who recently pleaded guilty unlawful possession of protected species( African Parrots) has been sentenced to jail time.
Kabongo was on Wednesday this week remanded to Kitalya government Prison after being found guilty of the illegally sneaking in 122 African Parrots without a valid permit. Mbaya pleaded guilty after the prosecution led by Kefa Ndeke read to him the facts of the case as how he committed the crime without a valid life user right.
Mbaya through his lawyer Sarah Awero asked Court for a lenient sentence because he is a first time offender and therefore has chances of reforming.
He appeared again on Thursday morning before the Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court where he was handed his sentence upon his own plea of guilt.
Grade one Magistrate Gladys Kamasanyu said she found a custodial sentence of seven years on each of the two offences to be the most appropriate punishment for him.
She said this will serve as a deterent for non-Ugandans involved in the illicit trade of wildlife products.
“Non-Ugandans have turned this country into a hub of illicit trade, which has led to increased crime related to Wildlife in Uganda,” said Kamasanyu.
Kamasanyu, says such illegal acts cast Uganda in bad light internationally, as a country where such crimes are condoned.
She says Uganda is a signatory to an international treaty signed in 2017 not to allow illicit trade of wildlife. She also noted that even the Uganda Wildlife Authority Act requires one to carry a valid permit even if they are in possession of a single parrot, which wasn’t the case with the convict.
Kamasanyu noted that Kabongo broke all the laws as he was found in illegal possession of 122 parrots, three of which died of suffocation. Prison warders escorted Kabongo out of the courtroom amidst tears.
Prosecution states that on April 14th 2022 in Kibaya village, Bunagana Town Council , Kisoro District, Mbaya was captured red handed with 122 African Grey Parrots without a valid permit. The parrots were packed in two wooden boxes.
According to Kamasanyu, this vice paints a wrong picture of Uganda internationally, adding that her court in the name of protecting the beauty of the country has a duty to discourage those who do illicit trade and not to consider Uganda as a place where they can commit crimes from.
She indicated that Uganda is a signatory to an international treaty signed in 2017 not to allow illicit trade of wildlife. She also noted that even the Uganda Wildlife Authority Act requires one to carry a valid permit even if they are in possession of a single parrot, which wasn’t the case with the convict.
Kamasanyu noted that Kabongo broke all the laws as he was found in illegal possession of 122 parrots, three of which died of suffocation. Prison warders escorted Kabongo out of the courtroom amidst tears.
