The Uganda Police force has in custody 10 senior officials from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) over allegations of corruption and financial loss worth UGX 9 billion in a Gorilla Permit Scam.
The officials are currently held at multiple police stations across Kampala, including Wandegeya, Kira Division, and Nateete.
A source privy to the arrests told this publication that the arrests followed a forensic audit conducted by the Auditor General, which revealed systemic fraud within UWA’s permit issuance system.
According to the findings, between 2021 and 2023, UWA officials allegedly engaged in forgery of gorilla tracking permits and recycling of payment receipts, resulting in a loss of over Shs 9 billion in revenue meant for wildlife conservation.
The source further reveals that the arrest of the group is part of a wider crackdown on corruption within government agencies.
The suspects will be produced in court to face charges of corruption and causing financial loss to the government.
