- By Reporter
Man jailed 11 years for killing rare gorilla
By Charles Joseph
July 30, 2020 - Despite claim of acting in self-defense, Felix Byamukama the Killer of Uganda’s rare mountain gorilla has been sentenced to 11 years in prison.
He had pleaded guilty to illegally entering a protected area but claimed that the Gorilla named Rafiki, attacked him and he had to defend himself.
According to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), mountain gorillas are endangered with just over 1,000 of them in existence.
Byamukama who also pleaded guilty to killing a small antelope, known as a duiker, and a bush pig, as well as being in possession of bush pig and duiker meat, is said to have fallen far short of a life sentence.
He admitted to the UWA previously that he, and three others, had gone to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park with the intention of hunting smaller animals,
Investigations showed Rafiki was killed by a sharp object that penetrated his internal organs.
The gorilla went missing on 1 June and his body was discovered by a search party the following day.
A UWA team tracked Byamukama to a nearby village, where he was found with hunting equipment.
Three others denied the charges and have been remanded in jail, awaiting trial.
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