Police arrest 7 suspects over killing of 9 lions

Serengeti. Police have arrested four more people on allegations of killing nine lions at Nyihanga in Songambele Hamlet, Nyichoka Village.

That brings to seven the number of people who have been arrested on allegations of poisoning the lions.

 Nineteen lions have been killed in Serengeti District, Mara Region, since 2015.

Seven lions were killed in 2015 after eating cattle meat thought to have been poisoned before three other big cats were shot dead in  2017 when they stormed a kraal in the village.

According to veterinarian Justin Samanche, of the Tanzania Wildlife Institute, an initial investigation revealed that the lions died after eating a poisoned cow carcass whose remains were found at the scene.

Mara Regional Police Commander Juma Ndaki told The Citizen on phone yesterday that the suspects were held for questioning while efforts were being made to arrest the prime suspect in the killing of the animals, in revenge for his livestock mauled by lions.

“In an initial investigation, all the seven suspects named a famous livestock keeper in Nyichoka Village for the involvement in the incident. When we arrest him, we may set free the seven people we are holding,” he said.

The prime suspect is claimed to have escaped to an unknown destination when the lions were killed.

Serengeti District Commissioner Nurdin Babu has directed state organs to cooperate with security and defence committees of Nyichoka Village and Kyambahi Ward to ensure those involved in the killings of lions were apprehended and taken to court to end the habit of killing wild animals.