Residents lynch 4 for illegal fishing

From The Citizen Daily, Dar es Salaam
By Paulina David, Mwanza

Residents of Sengerema District, Mwanza Region, have lynched four anglers allegedly found using a poisonous chemical known as thionex for fishing in Lake Victoria.

The anglers, who were also caught with banned slot-size nets at Kashea village in the district on Wednesday morning, threatened to kill local guards during interrogations.

Mwanza acting regional police commander Elias Kalinga named the slain anglers, all from Geita District in the region, as Magono Butuba, 35, Mgeta Butuba, 28, Merumba Mahagani, 35, and Mtoka Mchele, 47.

They had travelled to the lakeside village aboard two canoes laden with the chemical and the prohibited slot-size nets to use in fishing, Mr Kalinga explained.

Local guards patrolling the lake suddenly emerged as the illegal anglers poured the poisonous chemical into the lake to kill fish.

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