Rukungiri Police Impound 4 Trucks Loaded With Timber

Rukungiri Police have impounded four trucks carrying more than 400 pieces of timber valued at 25 million Shillings. The impounded timber, from Butimba Wood Centre, is believed to have been cut illegally from Imaramagambo National Forest in Bwambara Sub County in Rukungiri district.  

Police acted on a tip-off from Dan Kaguta, the Rukungiri Resident District Commissioner (RDC). Kaguta told URN that he decided to plant spies in Butimba Wood Centre after his office was wrongly accused of illegally cutting down trees in Imaramagambo Forest.  

Kaguta says his spies informed him on Tuesday evening about the arrival of a truck full of timber. He immediately asked the police to intervene leading to the impounding of the truck and arrest of suspects whose identities he didn’t disclose.

Moses Nanoka, the Rukungiri District Police Commander, says the suspects are helping police with investigations into the source of timber. He says he is optimistic that the suspects will help them arrest those behind the forest destruction. 

Elias Byamungu, Rukungiri Chief Administrative Officer,  told URN that while appearing on a talk show over the weekend, a listener called in accusing the RDC of masterminding the destruction of Imaramagambo forest reserve.

According to Byamungu, he called up the District Forestry Officer, Arthur Twinomujuni, directing him to prepare a report on the illegal activities in the forest. Twinomujuni told URN that he visited the forest, which is part of Queen Elizabeth National Park as instructed by the CAO and discovered that a lot of Mahogany and Cinnamon (Kurundu) tree species had been cut for charcoal burning.

Stephen Ndemere, the Imaramagambo National Forest Sector Manager, says that he found some people cutting timber and burning charcoal in the forest last year and apprehended them. He however, says that to his dismay they were given bail just after two weeks in prison.

Ndemere says the community members have encroached on the biggest part of the forest reserve and are currently cultivating rice, ground nuts, beans and watermelons. 

Imaramagambo National Forest covers 15175 hectares of land.