High Court sentences 11 to death for killing elephant conservationist
The High Court in Dar es Salaam has sentenced to death eleven people for conspiring and murdering conservationist Wayne Lotter.
The South Africa national, 51, was shot dead at Masaki, Dar es Salaam in August, 2017 after three people attacked him in his car.
Their verdict was read by Judge Leila Mgonya in Dar es Salaam on Friday.
Eleven people who have been sentenced to death are Rahma Mwinyi, Nduimana Ogiste, Godfrey Salamba, Chambie Ally, Allan Mafue, Ismail Mohamed and Leonard Makoi.
Others are Ayoub Kiholi, Abuu Mkongie, Habonimana Nyandwi and Michael Kwavava.
who lived and worked in Tanzania for many years was a director and co-founder of the PAMS Foundation, an NGO that provides conservation and anti-poaching support to communities and governments in Africa.
Before his death, it was reported that Potter received numerous death threats since 2009, relating to his work.
The PAMS Foundation funded and supported Tanzania’s elite anti-poaching National and Transnational Serious Crimes Investigation Unit (NTSCIU) which was responsible for arrests of major ivory traffickers including Yang Feng Glan, the so-called “Queen of Ivory” and several other notorious elephant poachers.
